More hopefuls in historic lotto sales as ‘pot money’ reaches P350M
The government’s Super Lotto 6/49 game now made history as the biggest jackpot prize estimated to be at least P350 million by last night’s draw.
With sales turn-out even beyond the expectations of lotto outlets and government-run Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Ilonggo hopefuls did their share of increasing sales.
The past week alone with projected prize of some P300 million, lines for two days prior to the actual Thursday draw saw hundreds of Ilonggo millionaire-wannabes.
The frenzy has even lured non-lotto players inspired by the “beginner’s luck theory.”
Yesterday, lotto outlets along city’s downtown area saw lines of at least a hundred buyers that had sidewalk vendors take turns just to get tickets themselves. For the entire day, the scene was just like that – about a hundred inched their way closer to the ticket booth, then yet another shows up to keep the line going. And going until the last ticket was sold at the close of the outlet by 6 pm.
Same scenario in lotto outlets inside the malls with a lotto outlet staff telling The News Today (TNT), “no more lunch break for me since I opened at 9 am. I can’t even get myself a drink.” The interview, or at least the attempt to have one was made at 3 pm.
Ilonggo millionaire-hopefuls are an interesting mix of young professionals, students, elderly, men and women, uniformed police officers and even those already millionaires themselves. Bankers too who handle the city’s millions with one telling TNT, “It’s about time I manage my own millions,” he said with a smile. He was in the company of three other banker friends who purposely set the Sunday meeting to get themselves Super Lotto tickets.
A staff of one of the city’s successful chain of restaurants was among those spotted lining up. She “secretly” showed her boss’ numbers – 20 altogether – with a separate number for her own bet, just one ticket though. She said she will probably buy one of her boss’ stores or simply quit her job if she wins.
One Super Lotto 6/49 ticket costs P20, the winner with the complete combination of six numbers drawn from 1 to 49 takes it all.
The PCSO in a statement gathered by TNT reminded the buying public though that while the jackpot money is one thing to watch out for, not to be missed as well are the consolation prizes.
PCSO Assistant General Manager Conrado Sabilla in an interview with Bombo Radyo said the huge turn-out is going to be a major boost to the PCSO’s fund. To note, said agency is one of the government’s primary source of funds for assistance for the country’s less privileged.
The real winners here, Sabilla said, are the PCSO’s beneficiaries of project assistance.
PCSO Spokesman Larry Cedro for his part reminded the ticket holders of the competitive consolation prizes for the 5-out-of-6 combination, 4-out-of-6 and 3-out-of-6.
With the jackpot not won Thursday, some P26 million were given out as total consolation prizes.
Will the country wake up today with Ilonggo millionaires? Or the jackpot will just have to get bigger?
Super Lotto 6/49 Sunday evening draw result has the answer.