If you have ever visited Taiwan, you might have noticed the distinct, colorful receipts handed out at every convenience store or restaurant. These aren’t just proofs of purchase—they are part of a nationwide lottery system known as the “Uni-President Receipt” (統一發票).

💡 The History: A Move Against Tax Evasion

The system was first implemented in 1951. At the time, the Taiwanese government struggled with significant tax evasion from businesses that failed to report their full income.

To solve this, they came up with a brilliant psychological incentive: turning every receipt into a lottery ticket.

• Public Cooperation: Because customers wanted a chance to win the grand prize, they began demanding receipts for every transaction.

• Transparency: This forced shop owners to issue receipts and accurately document their sales, making it nearly impossible to hide income from the tax office.

🗓️ How to Play: Drawing and Claiming Your Prize

If you find a receipt while traveling or living in Taiwan, keep it! It could be worth up to 10 million TWD.

• Winning Numbers: The draw is held every two months on the 25th of every odd-numbered month (e.g., January, March, May).

• Claim Period: You can claim your prize starting from the 6th day of the following month.

• Validity: The prize must be claimed within three months (specifically, by the 5th of the third month).

• Holidays: If the final day to claim falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline is extended to the next business day. Be careful: if you miss this date, the ticket becomes invalid.

📸 Reading Your Receipt

Looking at the receipt from my recent visit to FamilyMart (image.png), the lottery number is the sequence of letters and numbers at the top, such as AF-64676765. This is the number you need to check against the official winning list.