Following months of the “acumulado” ball not dropping in the three weekly draws, it did Tuesday, with the lucky winner(s) taking home a whopping ¢1.790 tax-free billion colones.
According to the Junta de Protección Social (JPS) – state lottery – the entire winning number and series was purchased in Cuidad Quesada (San Carlos), in the province of Alajuela.
This morning (Wednesday), television crews were camped out in the northern city’s park waiting on the winning ticket selling vendor to show for work, to get her opinion.
The last time the acumulado ball was drawn in was last June. Since, the JPS has been reducing the number of blank balls by one with each draw the acumulado did not fall and the jackpot increasing by ¢20 million. In Tuesday nights draw there were 26 blanks.
In the last month especially, ticket sales for lotteries draws on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays was an almost sell out. Many vendors reporting selling all their tickets and long lines in many points of sale.
NEW Acumulado with more prizes
The acumulado now goes back to the drawing board, with the JPS announcing a higher starting jackpot, double the accumulation each draw (if the winning ball does not fall) and fewer balls.
This Friday, the jackpot will start at ¢400 million colones instead of ¢100 million, for each draw the acumulado ball does not fall the jackpot increased by ¢40 million instead of ¢20, and the tombola will have 50 balls instead of 75.
