MANILA, PHILIPPINES - One out of 29 possible combinations.
Those were the odds for someone in the Philippines to win the insanely massive jackpot worth Php 741 million (US$ 16.82 million) for the 6/55 Grand Lotto.
And someone did beat the odds to bring home the biggest lotto jackpot in Philippine history.
After going six months and 86 draws without producing a winner, and with the jackpot climbing even higher, a lone bettor from the island of Luzon managed to snag the number combination of 11-16-42-47-31-37. The previous biggest pot won was Php 347 million (about US$ 8 million) in February 2009 when two bettors shared the prize.
Philippine Charity and Sweepstake Office (PCSO), the government agency handling lotto games, confirmed that indeed one bettor from Luzon stands to receive the jackpot tax-free. It was later revealed that the bettor had placed his bet in an outlet in Olongapo City.
As the jackpot for the 6/55 Grand Lotto game climbed over the past two months, Filipino bettors started trooping to lotto outlets all over the country with high hopes of winning the prize. At every draw day (draws for the Grand Lotto are held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays), bettors filled betting stations with queues snaking along, sometimes even causing traffic or obstruction.
There were even reports that outlets were running out of betting cards and thermal paper for the printing of tickets due to the volumes of bettors. Outlets often had to resort to manual placement of bets that slowed down the betting process. Some outlets even had to limit the number of bets customers can place in order to conserve on thermal paper.
Even politicians were reported to have placed bets on the Grand Lotto as the jackpot became even larger than their senatorial or congressional budget allocations.
Some bettors resorted to weird ways to force good fortune to rain on their betting cards.
Parish priests were reported to have noticed slightly larger attendance of church worships during the days the Grand Lotto draws were held. They also received numerous prayer requests from parishioners, imploring that God help them win the lotto jackpot. A lot of bettors prayed hard, prayed to their patron saints, and had their lotto tickets blessed -- all in the hopes of ensnaring the prize.
And in one instant, as the sixth number was called on-air, their hopes were dashed. One individual's hopes were realized.
As of this story's writing, the bettor has yet to claim his or her prize.
Posted: December 1, 2010
