WestLotto launched Local Hero Bingo on Sept. 21 in North Rhine-Westphalia, pairing a new weekly lottery with funding for volunteer-led projects. Players can win a jackpot of up to €3 million, while a portion of game stakes is directed through grants from Bingo! Ehrenamtsstiftung NRW gGmbH to support charitable initiatives in the state.
Each €3 ticket carries a 5-by-5 grid of 25 random numbers and a €0.50 processing fee. Players win with one, two or three five-number rows placed horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Three completed rows win the jackpot, with odds of about 1 in 1.2 million. Tickets are sold through about 3,000 WestLotto retailers, westlotto.de and the WestLotto app, with weekly sales closing Saturdays at 6 p.m.
WestLotto also draws 10 Local Hero numbers each week. A match with the Local Hero number on a player’s receipt wins €1,000, and the winner may direct another €1,000 through the foundation to a volunteer project in the region.
The companion Local Hero Bingo Show premiered Sept. 27 and airs Sundays at 6 p.m. free and without registration on RTL+ and YouTube. Hosted by Amiaz Habtu, the program presents the winning numbers and features two volunteers competing as a team in an NRW quiz for €5,000 or more for their project.