The big winners of the China Welfare Lottery claimed a pre-tax prize exceeding 531 million yuan ($74.79 million) and paid their individual income taxes worth over 106 million yuan in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, the local welfare lottery center said on Friday.

The Guangzhou Welfare Lottery Center didn't reveal any details on the winners, adding that it was the first time?in the new year that the southern metropolis has seen jackpots surpassing 100 million yuan.

According to the Guangzhou Welfare Lottery Center, the lottery result of the China Welfare Lottery Double Color Ball Game was declared on Thursday, with three tickets winning a total of 101 first prizes and 15 second prizes, hitting the total prize money of 531,000,605 yuan.

The three winning tickets were purchased in the same lottery ticket center in Guangzhou, which has a population of more than 18 million.

A staff member from Guangzhou Welfare Lottery said it is possible for the same lottery center to draw such three jackpots, but he emphasized purchasing lottery tickets remains a game of chance, adding that it did not mean that buying lottery tickets at the lottery center that has once drawn big winners would increase the probability of winning.

According to statistics revealed by the China Welfare Lottery, the sales volume of the Welfare Lottery Double Color Ball Game lottery tickets came to more than 58.3 billion yuan last year, with a total of 1,748 jackpots having been awarded.