Lottery ticket holders across Punjab had their eyes on Ludhiana on Sunday, September 6, 2026, as the state's weekly Dear 50 Ranger Sunday draw decided who would walk away with the top prize of Rs 21 lakh. The bumper lottery, sold for Rs 50 a ticket, is part of the regular Sunday draw calendar run by the Punjab government, and this week's edition was conducted live from the official Camp Office in the city starting at 6:30 pm.
How the Sunday draw played out
The Dear 50 Ranger Sunday lottery follows the same weekly format that Punjab's state-run lottery system has built its reputation on, a fixed low ticket price paired with a headline prize large enough to draw buyers from across the state. For this edition, that headline figure stood at Rs 21 lakh, decided through the live draw held at the Camp Office in Ludhiana on Sunday evening. Because the draw is conducted in public view at a fixed venue and time, ticket holders are able to track results the same evening rather than waiting for a later announcement.
Claiming a prize under Rs 10,000
For the large number of buyers whose tickets fetch smaller amounts, below Rs 10,000, the process stays simple. Winners in this bracket do not need to travel to any government office at all. They can walk into any designated lottery retailer or authorised lottery shop anywhere in Punjab and collect their winnings directly, provided they carry the winning ticket.
Mid-range and high-value prizes need extra steps
The process gets more formal once the prize amount rises. Anyone holding a ticket worth between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1 lakh has to submit it in person at the Punjab State Lottery Office rather than at a local retailer, so that the payout can be verified before release. For the biggest prizes, anything above Rs 1 lakh, including this week's Rs 21 lakh top prize, the winning ticket must be submitted directly to the Directorate of Lotteries under the Punjab government. This tiered structure exists precisely because larger sums call for tighter verification before the state releases the money.
Paperwork winners will need
Whichever bracket a prize falls into above the smallest tier, winners are expected to submit a set of supporting documents along with the ticket itself. These include the original winning ticket, which must be signed on the reverse side, a photocopy of an Aadhaar card or another valid government-issued identity document, and bank account details, either a copy of the passbook or a cancelled cheque, so that the prize money can be transferred once the claim is verified.
The claim window is limited
Winners do not have unlimited time to come forward. Under the scheme's rules, tickets must be submitted for claim within 30 to 90 days of the win, depending on the specific prize category. Missing this window can mean forfeiting a prize altogether, which is why lottery officials stress that winners should not delay in gathering their documents and approaching the correct office once they confirm a winning ticket.
