$19 billion in ASX dividends is being paid out this week. Are you getting your share?

The ASX is well known for its dividends, and of course, by extension, its dividend-paying shares. ASX shares have been incentivised to pay out high levels of fully franked dividend income to shareholders for decades now. That's primarily thanks to a number of factors, most potently our unique system of franking,

That's why we tend to see much higher yields from an ASX index fund compared to similar products covering international markets.

But there's another rather unique feature of our share markets that international investors might find odd. That would be our companies' propensity to pay biannual dividends.

In most other markets, including both the United States and the United Kingdom, quarterly dividend payments are the norm. But here on the ASX, we have twice as long between the metaphorical drinks. The vast majority of ASX dividend shares funding a dividend payment only every six months.

This means that whilst investor income is a little irregular, when the payments do arrive, it's something of a cash deluge.

Luckily for ASX investors, one of those deluges just happens to be scheduled for this week.

The five-day period we are currently in the midst of will see a plethora of ASX dividend shares dole out their latest dividend payments. Most of these were announced during the February earnings season we've just gone through. A rough $19 billion in dividends is set to be showered on investors by Friday's close of business.

Which ASX 200 shares are paying out dividends this week?

Here's a non-exhaustive list of some of the major ASX 200 blue-chip shares that will pay out dividends over this trading week:

• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN)
• Altium Ltd (ASX: ALU)
• Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN)
• ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX)
• Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG)
• Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)
• Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)
• Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)
• Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)
• Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)
• Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT)
• Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)
• Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)
• Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)
• BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)
• Lottery Corp Ltd (ASX: TLC)
• Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM)

This Thursday, 28 March, might well be the biggest payday on the ASX this dividend season. That day, we'll see what could conceivably be a majority of all ASX investors receive some kind of dividend paycheque.

That's the day that Beach Energy, Origin Energy, CBA, Telstra, BHP, Lottery Corp and Newmont will send out their latest shareholder payments.

So strap yourself in, and get yourself an umbrella, because some of the ASX's favourite shares are about to make it rain.