Taware is Playwins first double crorepati

Mumbai: Nilesh Taware, a student from Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, has won the Rs 2-crore jackpot of India’s first online lottery, Sikkim Super Lotto, in the fourth draw that was announced recently.

Taware, who bought this lucky ticket from Pradeep Communications, Bhiwandi, could not believe his luck: "I was completely surprised that all the six numbers on one of my two tickets matched with the numbers announced on Zee TV. It’s like a dream come true."

Taware, 22, has just appeared for his HSC exam. He comes from a modest background. His father, the sole breadwinner of the family, owns a small power loom mill in Bhiwandi. Taware has a younger brother and a sister.

The six lucky numbers for the fourth draw were 07, 09, 10, 18, 19 and 49. The draw generated huge expectations, with excitement and hope rising every week. In addition to the jackpot amount, the draw also yielded 139 people with match-5 numbers winning Rs 37,931 each; 7,707 players winning Rs 356 each for match-4 numbers; and 1,25,682 players winning Rs 50 each for match-3 numbers. The total payout for the week was Rs 3.4 crore. In the previous week Playwin had given out Rs 6.15 crore as prize money to winners, with 139 people winning close to Rs 4 lakh each.

Says Essel group chairman Subhash Chandra: "My heartiest congratulations to Taware. The objective of Sikkim Super Lotto is to change the fortune of people in our country. This is just a beginning. We hope to help many more people realise their dreams."

Playwin plans to launch many more exciting games in the next few months, thus further enhancing the entertainment proposition offered by the Essel group of companies. The next Sikkim Super Lotto draw will be held on 25 April 2002, the results of which will be announced on Khelo Number Khelo on Zee TV between 9 and 9:30 pm.