PCSO chief clarifies: 20-time same-month lotto winner didn't hit jackpot
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Mel Robles said on Wednesday that the lottery bettor who won 20 times in the same month did not get jackpot prizes in six-digit games but rather won in "low-tier" games.
The PCSO chief said this a day after Sen. Raffy Tulfo, heading the investigation into the integrity of PCSO games, revealed that a lottery bettor won 20 times in a single month.
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"Wala pong nanalo ng 20 jackpot games in one month. Pero maaaring ang isang tao ay mag-claim nang 20 times, or even more, sa ibang games namin," Robles said in an interview with GMA News.
(No one has won 20 jackpot games in one month. But one person can claim 20 times, or even more, in our other games.)
Robles also said that it might be possible that other individuals, such as lottery outlet owners, claimed the prizes on behalf of the bettors.
Because of this system, the person claiming the prize may not be the one who bought the winning ticket, especially for winners in the provinces.
“Kasi 'yung mga iba walang ID, kasi 'yung iba [ay] physically hindi kaya. So these are regular. Bago pa ako dumating, ganyan na talaga ang practice noon. Paki-claim... 'Yung claimant ng winning ticket is not necessarily the winner [for lower-tier games]," Robles said.
(Because some lack identification or face physical challenges, these situations common. Even before I arrived, that was already the practice. The claimant of the winning ticket is not necessarily the winner [for lower-tier games].)
"Yung jackpot, personally ka pupunta sa PCSO [main office]... Posibleng 20 times [pareho] 'yung nag-claim [sa lower-tier], or even more... Parang paid to cash na tseke 'yan eh. 'Pag hawak mo, iyo 'yan eh,” she added.
(For the jackpot, you personally go to the PCSO main office... It's possible that the claimant for the lower-tier prizes is the same person 20 times, or even more... It's like a paid to cash check. Once you hold it, it's yours.)
Robles said that the agency would investigate the matter, especially with lottery agents who practice this act.
Lotto prizes of P10,000 or less can be claimed directly from lotto outlets.
However, prizes exceeding P10,000 must be claimed at the PCSO main office in Mandaluyong City.
Prizes in every lotto game
In the PCSO lottery, there are five six-digit games with jackpot prizes reaching millions of pesos. There are also four "low-tier" games with fixed prizes that vary based on the bettor's wager.
The PCSO lottery consists of three draws scheduled at 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. draws determine the results of 2D and 3D, while the 9 p.m. draw determines the results of 4D, 6D and the six-digit games assigned to that day.
The four games, popularly known as the “low-tier games” are the following:
- 2D (minimum prize: P2,000)
- 3D (minimum prize: P750)
- 4D (minimum prize: P10,000)
- 6D (minimum prize P150,000)
For 4D and 6D, the prizes of the game increase when there are no winners.
As of writing, the jackpot prize of 4D is P72,489.00 while the jackpot of 6D is at P623,438.00
Here are the five six-digit games, along with their respective prize amounts as of this writing:
- Ultra Lotto 6/58 (P49,500,000.00)
- Grand Lotto 6/55 (P122,842,870.80)
- Super Lotto 6/49 (P47,736,163.00)
- Mega Lotto 6/45 (P8,910,000)
- Lotto 6/42 (P5,940,000.00)
For the "low-tier games", a bettor must match the numbers in the exact order of the game to win the jackpot prize.
In the six-digit games, a bettor can win the jackpot prize by matching the numbers in any order.
If two or more bettors win a jackpot prize in a six-digit game, the PCSO will divide the prize depending on the number of winners.
For instance, 433 people won the jackpot prize of Grand Lotto 6/55 in October 2022.
This means that 433 people divided the P236-million jackpot prize at that time.
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