Brazil’s Mega da Virada lottery recorded its highest-ever turnover, raising BR3.05bn in ticket sales as demand surged around the New Year draw.
Mega da Virada is Brazil’s annual New Year’s Eve lottery draw and the most popular lottery event in the country.
The draw traditionally attracts a surge in last-minute betting, making it Brazil’s largest single lottery event by both ticket sales and total prize value each year.
The special edition of the Mega-Sena paid out BR1.09bn to six jackpot winners, each receiving approximately BR181.8m, while the remaining revenue was distributed across taxes, operational expenses and mandatory public transfers.
According to Caixa, which operates Brazil’s federal lotteries, just under 44% of total revenue was directed to prize payments, including income tax levied on high-value winnings.
A further 19.13% covered operating and maintenance costs, such as commissions paid to lottery retailers and system expenses. The remaining funds were set for legally mandated transfers to Government-linked programs.
Social security was the largest beneficiary, receiving BR528m, followed by public security with BR299m.
Sports-related bodies received BR215m, while cultural initiatives were allocated BR88m. Additional transfers were made to education-linked entities, Olympic and Paralympic committees, and development funds tied to the lottery system.
Caixa stated the record performance reinforces the role of lotteries as a funding mechanism for public policy.
Beyond the headline jackpot, the 2025 Mega da Virada will deliver more than BR1.1bn in direct social transfers, highlighting how large-scale lottery events continue to support government programs alongside their entertainment appeal.
The unprecedented demand for the Mega da Virada draw also exposed capacity limits at Caixa, after heavy traffic temporarily overloaded lottery systems
