A bettor from Metro Manila is the newest member of the country’s elite multi-millionaires club, having won the P640-M jackpot prize of the Super Lotto 6/49 draw on Tuesday night.
Last Tuesday was also a record for the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO) for a one-day sale of P265 million as unprecedented numbers of bettors troop to the lotto outlets with an eye on the P640-million pot.
In a radio interview on Wednesday, PCSO general manager Melquiades Robles said the ticket bought from Manila got the winning combination of 26-33-14-48-06-42 with a total jackpot prize of P640,654,817.
“We have one winner from an outlet in Manila, So far, this is the biggest prize won since I joined the PCSO, P640 million,” Robles said.
He also said Tuesday’s Lotto tickets sales at P265 million is so far the highest daily sales recorded by the agency. The amount was the highest recorded one-day sales in over five years or since October 14, 2018 when the prize pot hit P1.18-billion.
The winner can claim the prize at the PCSO main office in Mandaluyong City by presenting the winning ticket and two identification cards.
As provided in the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law, lotto winnings of more than P10,000 will be subject to a 20-percent tax.
Prizes not claimed within a year shall be forfeited.
The Super Lotto 6/49 is drawn every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
Robles urged the public to support the agency’s gaming products to raise additional revenue for health initiatives, medical services, and other national charities.
Through its mandatory contributions, the PCSO not only helps people in need of medical assistance but also provides funds to government institutions.
Lotto sales started to increase since the launch of the PCSO’s ‘Handog Pakabog’ Christmas draws last Dec. 16 after the agency raised the minimum guaranteed prize of Grand Lotto 6/55, UltraLotto 6/58 and, later on, SuperLotto 6/49 to P500-million each.
The PCSO also raised the jackpot of Lotto 6/42 and Mega Lotto 6/45 to P100-million each towards the end of 2023.
Last December 29, a government employee from Albay won the P571-million jackpot in the Ultra Lotto 6/58 draw.
The Grand Lotto 6/55, which was worth over P680 million as of January 15, is yet to be won.
The PCSO has previously breached P1 billion sales for a two-week period from Nov. 1 to 14 last year, with the sales of lottery tickets reaching P104.87 million on Nov. 14 alone.
It was the highest daily sales logged since the PCSO migrated to the Philippine Lottery System (PLS) on Oct. 1, 2023.
Robles reiterated that the huge sales would not have been possible without the people’s trust and loyalty.