The Nagaland State Lotteries announced the winner of its Dear Pelican 8 PM Lottery Kohima on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 — a ₹1 crore prize claimed by an anonymous ticket holder. The live draw, broadcast from the state’s lottery headquarters, drew thousands of viewers online, but the winning ticket number remains unconfirmed in public reports. What’s clear: someone’s life changed at precisely 8:00 PM IST, and the state’s legal lottery system delivered another massive payout — just as it has every night for years.
How the Nagaland Lottery Works
Nagaland isn’t just running a lottery — it’s running three of them, every single day. At 1:00 PM, it’s Dear Indus Morning. At 6:00 PM, Dear Cupid Evening. And at 8:00 PM, the big one: Dear Pelican Night. Each draw offers the same top prize: ₹1,00,00,000. The second prize? ₹9,000. Third? ₹450. Fourth? ₹250. Fifth? ₹120. And if you’re close but didn’t hit the jackpot, a ₹1,000 consolation prize is your consolation. It’s a tightly structured system, designed for predictability — and excitement.
What makes this legal? Thirteen Indian states are authorized by central law to run state lotteries. Nagaland is one of them, alongside West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Goa, Maharashtra, and others. Unlike private online gambling, these are government-run, audited, and regulated. The draw isn’t some shadowy algorithm — it’s a physical ball machine in Kohima, broadcast live on YouTube, with officials in suits holding up numbered slips for the camera. The Nagaland State Lotteries even has a disclaimer on its YouTube channel: "We do not sell tickets. We only show the draw."
Where to Check, How to Claim
If you think you won, don’t panic. Don’t rush to a corner shop. First, verify. The official portals — nagalandlotterysambad.com, www.nagalandlotteries.com, and www.lotterysambad.com — are your only trusted sources. Type in the date, pick "Dear Pelican," and cross-check your ticket number. No third-party site, no WhatsApp forward, no "verified winner" Instagram page should be trusted.
And if your ticket is worth more than ₹10,000? You’ve got a journey ahead. Winners must physically visit the Nagaland State Lottery Office in Kolkata to claim their prize. No online transfer. No courier. No shortcut. You need the original printed ticket, a government-issued ID, a bank account in your name, and a filled claim form downloaded from the official site. The process is slow, bureaucratic, and deliberately so — to prevent fraud.
The Human Side of the Draw
Behind every ₹1 crore win is a story. A schoolteacher who bought a ticket on a whim. A truck driver who saved ₹20 for a week. A grandmother who plays every Wednesday because her late husband used to. The lottery doesn’t just hand out money — it hands out hope. And sometimes, heartbreak.
Prabhat Khabar, one of the sources reporting the results, includes a quiet warning: "Lottery addiction can develop. Play responsibly." That line matters. Because while the jackpot grabs headlines, the real story is in the thousands who play daily — not for riches, but for the fleeting dream of a better tomorrow. The state knows this. That’s why the draw is televised. Why the results are published. Why the claims process is so strict. It’s not just about revenue. It’s about control.
What Comes Next?
The next big draw? The Dear Meghna Friday Lottery Kohima on February 28, 2025. Same time. Same stakes. Same quiet anticipation across Nagaland and neighboring states.
What’s interesting? The lottery’s revenue isn’t just funding state programs — it’s funding public infrastructure. In Nagaland, lottery proceeds have helped build rural health centers, support school supplies, and even repair roads in remote villages. It’s not charity. It’s taxation with a chance. And for many, that chance is worth the ₹20 ticket price.
Why This Matters Beyond the Jackpot
Lotteries like Nagaland’s are often dismissed as gambling. But they’re not. They’re a form of voluntary taxation — one that 13 Indian states use to fund public services without raising income or sales taxes. In places where formal employment is scarce and state revenue is thin, the lottery becomes a lifeline. The government doesn’t need to sell tickets. It just needs to run the draw fairly.
Compare this to the chaos of illegal online betting apps, which prey on desperation and vanish overnight. Nagaland’s system is transparent. Traceable. Audited. Even the YouTube channel doesn’t sell tickets — it only shows the draw. That’s integrity.
So when you hear about someone winning ₹1 crore, don’t just envy them. Think about the system that made it possible. And remember: the real winners aren’t always the ones holding the ticket. Sometimes, they’re the ones who built the rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I verify if I won the Nagaland Dear Pelican Lottery?
Visit the official websites — nagalandlotterysambad.com, www.nagalandlotteries.com, or www.lotterysambad.com. Click on "Lottery Sambad Result," select "Dear Pelican," and choose January 29, 2025. Match your ticket number exactly. Never trust third-party sites or social media posts claiming to show winners.
Where do I claim my prize if I won more than ₹10,000?
You must visit the Nagaland State Lottery Office in Kolkata in person. Bring your original printed ticket, a government-issued ID (Aadhaar, PAN, or passport), a completed claim form from the official website, and a bank account passbook. Claims cannot be processed online or via mail.
Is the Nagaland lottery legal in other states?
Yes. Lottery sales are legal in 13 Indian states: Nagaland, West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Goa, Maharashtra, Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Mizoram. You can buy tickets only in these states. Buying from other states or online is illegal and unregulated.
Why does the Nagaland lottery have three daily draws?
The three daily draws — Dear Indus (1 PM), Dear Cupid (6 PM), and Dear Pelican (8 PM) — create consistent revenue streams for the state. Each draw has the same prize structure, ensuring fairness and public trust. The frequency also helps prevent monopolization by professional players and spreads participation across different times of day.
Are the lottery results truly random?
Yes. The draws are conducted using physical ball machines in Kohima, witnessed by officials and streamed live on YouTube. The process is monitored by state auditors, and the results are published simultaneously across multiple official platforms. There’s no evidence of manipulation — only transparency.
Can I buy Nagaland lottery tickets online?
No. Nagaland State Lotteries only sells physical paper tickets through authorized retailers within the 13 permitted states. Any website or app offering online purchases is fraudulent. The official YouTube channel explicitly states it does not sell tickets — it only broadcasts the draw.