A man proposed to his girlfriend immediately after winning NT$1 million (US$35,935) from a lottery scratch card following a visit to an Earth God (土地公) temple in New Taipei City during the Lunar New Year holiday, the lottery shop in Jhonghe District (中和) said yesterday.
The couple decided to try their luck at the shop after praying for good fortune at the temple and seeing a cartoon-style icon of the deity at the shop, the store owner said.
After winning, the man thanked the local deity for “sponsoring” his forthcoming wedding, the owner said.
The couple, who are in their 30s, could not at first believe they had won the Taiwan Lottery Co scratchcard lottery, which has been running since Jan. 4 and has a top prize of NT$20 million, the owner said.
They left the shop in disbelief and returned a few hours later to ask the shop owner to help them confirm it.
The woman said she was grateful to the Earth God for making her a bride this year, adding that she plans to have a baby next year.
To celebrate the Lunar Year of the Tiger, Taiwan Lottery Co added NT$880 million in prize money to the jackpots of several lotteries.
Major lotteries, such as Lotto 6/49, Super Lotto and BINGO BINGO, have boasted much larger jackpots as the sum of NT$880 million is the biggest increase in prize money in five years, the company said.
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