Dolphy's death brings luck to lotto bettors

CEBU, Philippines - Even in death, the country’s comedy king continues to give smile to Filipinos.

Yesterday, at least 2,200 people won the Suertres lotto of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office after betting the number combination of the time of Dolphy’s death.

PCSO Visayas-Mindanao officer-in-charge Federico Damole told The FREEMAN last night that as early as 8 a.m. yesterday, the number combination 8-3-4 was already sold out.

Dolphy, Rodolfo Vera Quizon, Sr. in real life, passed away at 8:34 p.m. on Tuesday at the Makati Medical Center after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83.

Damole said that after betting the number combination, 1,000 people won P4,500 each while 1,200 people won P750 each for the Rambolito draw.

Suertres is drawn thrice a day - 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. The first two draws are exclusive for Visayas and Mindanao players, while the 9 p.m. draw is played nationwide.

The 8-3-4 winning combination was drawn at 11 a.m.

Suertres involves the random selection of one set of winning numbers ranged from 000 to 999. A bettor who gets all three digits in exact order wins P4,500 for every P10 play.

The Rambolito game is selecting a 3-digit number combination and the system will automatically permutate and generate all its possible combinations.

Damole, however, said everything is just coincidental and no game rigging or fixing is involved.

“All is purely coincidental,” Damole said, referring to the winning combination that matched the time of Dolphy’s death.

 Damole recalled that five years ago, many bettors won after betting the 1-4-3 combination during Valentine’s Day. — /LPM (FREEMAN)