Togo lottery players face payout delays at LONATO sales points
Players in Lomé’s Golfe 6 municipality have reported difficulties collecting winnings at some LONATO sales points as the national lottery expands its offering.
Togolese Republic.- Lottery players in the Togolese Republic have reported difficulties collecting winnings at some sales points operated by the National Lottery of Togo (LONATO), following recent draws.
Players in Baguida, in the Golfe 6 municipality of Lomé, complained about the handling of winnings at some LONATO direct-sales points, according to Relance Info, which reported the issue on August 24.
According to the report, player Landry Sossou said some winners were directed to a LONATO agency from 10am or asked to “leave their winning tickets and return after the 1pm draw”. Another player, Kokou Ben, said he was told at one sales point that there was “not enough cash available” and was asked to return later.
LONATO’s stated pay-out policy allows winnings below CFA500,000 (US$762) to be collected at any authorised sales point across Togo, regardless of where the winning ticket was validated. Prizes above CFA500,000 must be collected at a LONATO agency or the General Directorate.
The complaints come after LONATO expanded its lottery offering with Loto Détente, a new Sunday draw introduced on August 2. The operator said the new game was intended to diversify its product offering and provide players with an additional opportunity to win. Loto Détente is held every Sunday at 4pm, with a minimum stake of CFA100 (US$0.15) and the option to play up to 10 grids on one ticket. The game also introduced a Double Chance option, with 10 winning numbers drawn in two groups of five.
For Loto Détente, LONATO said the same payout rules apply, with eligible winnings below CFA500,000 available at authorised sales points about 15 minutes after the Sunday draw.
Relance Info also claimed that similar pay-out difficulties were occurring beyond the sales points identified in Golfe 6. As of the latest reports, LONATO has not publicly addressed the pay-out complaints highlighted by Relance Info.
