The Bhutanese Leading the way.
As the Monsoon Lucky Bumper 2025 draw captivated the nation on 1st July, with its staggering Nu 20 million (mn) top prize, some people have been questioning the layers of transparency and technical precision involved behind the scenes.
However, the Bhutan Lottery Limited (BLL) said they have developed a comprehensive system to ensure every draw is fair, auditable, and open to public scrutiny.
With each tickets priced at Nu 300 the prizes were kept till 6th position, with a total of 5,417 winners and 3 additional giveaway winners. The total prize pool amounted to Nu 31.1 mn excluding incentives for promoters and sellers.
As for the number of winners, one 1st prize with winning amount of Nu 20 mn was kept, two 2nd prize of Nu 1mn each, four 3rd prize of Nu 500,000 each, ten 4th prize of Nu 50,000 each, four hundred 5th prize of Nu 4,000 each and five thousand 6th prize of Nu 1,000 each.
So far, only the first prize winner, the two second prize winner and one of the third prize winner has been claimed. The claim period is 60 days from the date of the draw.
BLL shared that for prizes exceeding Nu 10,000 a claim form is required and can be downloaded from their website. Once the duly completed form is submitted either at their office or through any of their Dzongkhag agents, verification is carried out promptly and without delays.
“To date, there has been no issues related to verification or prize claims. We also make efforts to facilitate payments through our agents and sellers for winners who are unable to travel to Phuentsholing,” says an official from BLL.
In accordance with tax regulations, all winnings of Nu 5,000 and above are subject to a 20% tax. Winners receive their prize amount after the applicable tax deduction.
In the recent Monsoon Lucky Bumper 2025 draw, the first prize was claimed by a 25-year-old unemployed man from Zhemgang. One of the second prize winners is a housewife in her 30s from Haa, while the other is a man in his 40s from Trongsa. The claimed third prize was won by a man in his 40s from Samtse.
The official from BLL said that the special bumper draws, including the Monsoon Lucky Bumper, are conducted live from BBS in Thimphu. In these draws, the number selection process is not automated or hidden. It is publicly witnessed and manually triggered. These machines offer a visible and tamper-proof method of number selection.
Draw judges or invited members of the public are given the responsibility of pressing the activation button, initiating the draw in real time.
Paper lottery draws are conducted using mechanically operated draw machines. One is stationed at BBS in Thimphu for bumper events, while another operates out at Phuentsholing, its main office.
In the case of online draws, such as the Lotto Jackpot and Biweekly games, BLL uses internationally certified technology. These draws are conducted using the Casino Pick model from SMARTPLAY International Inc., USA.
BLL encourages the public to attend the draws in person, whether in Thimphu or Phuentsholing.
Despite the technical transparency, BLL still grapples with a unique challenge. Many winners prefer anonymity, opting not to disclose their identities or appear in public announcements. While respecting this privacy, BLL acknowledges that public visibility of winners helps reinforce the legitimacy of its operations.
This year’s Monsoon Bumper winners, for instance, have shared limited details.
BLL said, “The top prize winner, a 25-year-old unemployed man from Zhemgang, his name and photo were withheld at his request, and only upon their permission to share the numbers and name, it was done so”
BLL shared that since its establishment, they have paid out over Nu 432.9 mn in prize money alone as of June 2025.
And BLL stated, “The next bumper draw later this year will feature a grand jackpot prize of 1 kilogram of gold.”
