Over P600-million lotto pot seen

MANILA, Philippines — The Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot, which has remained elusive for the past six months, is projected to reach P620 million in Wednesday’s draw, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said.

The PCSO, headed by Chairperson Margarita P. Juico, expressed hope that Wednesday's draw will already produce grand millionaires.

No one got the six-number winning combination last Monday – 22-25-17-50-19-37 – that carried the P584,829,925.20 prize.

PCSO's Grand Lotto prize that started at P30 million over six months ago and is projected to reach P620 million on draw night Wednesday has remained unyielding. Wednesday is the 83rd draw.

Juico said earlier she was hoping 100 would win the 6/55 bonanza to make many people happy as Christmas approaches.

As this developed, Juico met and spoke with Ricky Reyes, whose foundation manages Child Haus, half-way house for sick children.

A PCSO official who was at the meeting said it appeared the two have patched up their differences and agreed to continue working for the well being of the children.

PCSO officials stressed that lotto prizes are not subject to tax and the winners will get them in full or lump sum through checks as previous winners did.

They also assured the integrity of the lotto draws which are being witnessed and observed by non-PCSO government agencies and individuals.

After the win-less draw Monday evening, Liza Gabuyo, acting assistant general manager for PCSO's On-Line Lottery Department (OLLD), wished the betting public good luck.

“We hope that on Wednesday we already have grand millionaires,” said Gabuyo.

The Manila Bulletin spoke with two of the 111 bettors who got five of the six-winning combination in Grand Lotto's Nov. 20 draw. Each one is entitled to P150,000 for the correct five numbers.

One of them a 30-year-old male who gave his initials as J.D.V. said he was new in lotto betting and he had to ask for help as he placed his P20 bet that won him P150,000. He missed the number “18” from the Saturday winning combination of 18-17-36-04-40-13.

Another winner of P150,000 was a woman who did not give her name, but said he will be betting on the Grand Lotto again to have a chance at the enormous prize.

The Monday draw yielded 130 bettors who picked five of six-number winning combination.