[fddr]

It is true. The prize used to be a car, now it is government bonds.

It is fully automatic. You just tell the cashier your tax id number, and you are set. No need to keep the receipt.

[zepearl]

Thx!!!

Yes, I now remember my colleague mentioning a car :)

But well, I wouldn't have enough faith in XXX cashiers. I'd want a hard receipt (confirmation of submission on paper with some kind of checksum which I could confirm online if I wanted to).

[fddr]

You do get a paper receipt, which is just your normal sales receipt (which usually I just throw away immediately).

You can also check all your receipts online, on the Finance Ministry website.

[bogomipz]

I'm confused, what is the purpose of the automatic lottery ticket tied to a sales receipt?

I've spent time in Portugal and was never asked if I would like to participate. Is it only certain types of store or receipts?

[PedroBatista]

To combat tax evasion/parallel economy. The rationale goes: People want to get deductions and maybe even win a car, so they demand a receipt from business. That means said business can't keep that transaction off the books.

"Is it only certain types of store or receipts?"

Every business.