Grand Lotto pot to hit P300 million

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) confirmed yesterday that the jackpot of the Grand Lotto draw tonight is expected to breach P300 million.

Nobody got the winning combination 08-49-29-35-28-45 with a jackpot of P293,664,774.40 in last Monday night’s draw.

Liza Gabuyo, assistant general manager for online lottery of the PCSO, said the jackpot prize in the next 6/55 Grand Lotto draw is expected to reach P303 million.

Gabuyo said it is the first time in the seven-month history of the new Grand Lotto game that the pot money will reach more than P300 million.

More bettors are expected to place their bets as the lotto jackpot increases.

The agency has been encouraging interested bettors to place their bets early to avoid long queues as the draw nears. Lotto outlets open as early as 8 a.m.

The P303-million projected Grand Lotto prize tonight will be the second biggest prize in all lotto games of the PCSO, next only to the P347-million prize in the Super Lotto draw in February 2009 shared by two winners.

A female government employee last week claimed her P152-million prize as the lone winner of the jackpot in the Super Lotto draw.

The 6/55 Grand Lotto replaced the Power Lotto last April.

The new game is drawn every Monday. Bettors choose six numbers in any order from 1 to 55 to play Grand Lotto.