Surging New Year demand drives Brazil’s biggest lottery draw to unprecedented sales, with major allocations to social security, public safety and sport.
Brazil’s iconic Mega da Virada lottery has delivered its strongest performance on record, generating BR3.05bn in ticket sales as millions of players took part in the annual New Year’s Eve draw. The result cements Mega da Virada’s position as the country’s largest and most anticipated lottery event, both in terms of turnover and prize value.
Mega da Virada is a special edition of Brazil’s flagship Mega-Sena lottery and is held exclusively on December 31 each year. Unlike regular draws, the jackpot does not roll over if there are no top-tier winners, a feature that consistently drives intense last-minute participation. This structure, combined with the cultural tradition of betting ahead of the New Year, once again fuelled exceptional demand across the country.
The 2025 draw paid out a total jackpot of BR1.09bn, which was shared equally among six winning tickets. Each winner received approximately BR181.8m, making it one of the largest individual lottery payouts in Brazilian history. Beyond the headline prize, the draw also generated substantial returns for public finances.
According to Caixa Econômica Federal, the state-owned bank that operates Brazil’s federal lottery system, just under 44% of total ticket revenue was allocated to prize payments. This figure includes income tax collected on high-value winnings, which is automatically deducted at source. Operational and maintenance costs accounted for 19.13% of turnover, covering expenses such as retailer commissions, technology infrastructure and system administration.
The remaining portion of revenue was directed toward legally mandated public transfers, reinforcing the lottery’s role as a significant funding mechanism for government programs. Social security emerged as the largest beneficiary, receiving BR528m. Public security initiatives were allocated BR299m, reflecting ongoing investment priorities in policing and crime prevention.
Sports development also benefited significantly, with BR215m distributed to sports-related bodies, while cultural programs received BR88m. Additional funds were channelled to education-linked institutions, as well as Brazil’s Olympic and Paralympic committees and other development funds connected to the national lottery framework.
Caixa said the record-breaking performance underlines the importance of lotteries in supporting public policy while providing entertainment to millions of players. In total, the 2025 Mega da Virada is expected to deliver more than BR1.1bn in direct social transfers, highlighting how large-scale lottery events continue to play a dual role in Brazil’s economy: offering life-changing prizes while generating meaningful and predictable funding for essential public services.
