The Lotería del Tolima has reported an increase in sales in the last quarter of 2020, despite a challenging year and that for the first time in its history, the Colombian lottery was forced to suspend its draws.

Victoria Castillo González, manager of the Tolima lottery, said: “Despite the situation that we experienced in 2020 due to the effects of the pandemic, this was a different year, in which preserving health and life forced us to suspend our lottery for the first time in 95 years of history.”

According to local outlet Alerta Tolima, the manager highlighted that teamwork with the commercial area, along with the support of Governor Ricardo Orozco, helped the lottery in 2020.

“Thanks [to them], we achieved an increase in sales in the last quarter of 2020, even higher than the ones from 2019, with a 24% rise in November,” she explained.

Additionally, Castillo González said that they’ve made progress in the implementation of a new website that would work as a virtual channel to sell lottery tickets.

Last year, the Colombian lottery also obtained the ISO 9001: 2015 quality certification in all its processes, including draws.

“We are convinced that the real challenge will be to maintain [this position] and continue to show that our lottery is stronger than ever,” she added.

“This will only be achieved with the support of all Tolima residents and a government that has shown that it is betting on its companies.”