TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Taipei emerged as the luckiest city in Taiwan last year, boasting 203 scratch card prizes of NT$1 million (US$30,296) or more, according to Taiwan Lottery statistics.

Purchasing lottery tickets during the Lunar New Year has become a tradition for many Taiwanese families. In 2024, there were 1,351 Lunar New Year-themed scratch card prizes worth NT$1 million or more, with 1,314 prizes claimed across Taiwan, per CNA.

To mark the Year of the Snake, Taiwan Lottery raised the number of NT$20 million top prizes in its "Super Red Envelope" scratch-off tickets to 10, setting a new record. The game also offers a record 1,200 NT$1 million prizes.

Taiwan Lottery reported that New Taipei won 203 prizes of NT$1 million or more in 2024, accounting for 15.4% of the total, reclaiming first place. Kaohsiung came in second with 196 prizes, followed by Taipei with 161.

Taichung, which ranked first in 2023, dropped to fourth place with 154 prizes in 2024. Taoyuan won 149 prizes, and Tainan took 87, ranking fifth and sixth, respectively.

The National Taxation Bureau advises lottery winners, especially those who pooled money together, to keep detailed records. These should include the date, names of contributors, how much each person paid, and proof of payment.

Having clear records helps with distributing the prize and prevents disputes. It also provides proof for tax audits and ensures the prize money is not counted as a gift, which could trigger a gift tax.

If a group wins a big prize from a whole book of scratch-off tickets, they should also keep the entire book for tax checks.

The bureau also reminds winners to be careful with their prize money. If gifts given within a year exceed NT$2.44 million, they must file a gift tax return with the local tax authority within 30 days.