PCSO OPENS THE DOOR FOR THE SICK AND THE HOPEFULS

People continue to troop to the Lotto outlets all over the country to place their bets. The Lotto grand prize has breached the P 600 million-prize mark and is expected to reach a record high of P 650 million in the Saturday draw. This is unprecedented in the history of the PCSO, said PCSO chair Margie P. Juico in a statement.

Juico said that the high turnout is a demonstration of the people's confidence in the PCSO. She said that she hopes that somebody would finally hit the jackpot on the next draw. "Sana may tumama na para maging mas maligaya ang Pasko nila" (I hope somebody will finally win the jackpot so that their holidays can be truly happy.) "I also hope that there will be several winners. The more the merrier," she added.

As of November 24, 2010, the Grand Lotto has reached P620 million. In an article published in one of the major broadsheets, Dr. Giovanni Tapang, Chairman of AGHAM, the possible choices for six numbers (from 1 to 55), in no particular order and no repeating picks, will reach 28.99 million combinations, 5.25 million six-digit combinations for 6/42, 8.15 million possible for 6/45 and 13.98 million combinations for 6/49.

In spite of this, a lot of Filipinos are attracted to play the lotto and hopeful to beat the odds of winning the jackpot prize, he added.

So far, PCSO has helped turn as many as 1,551 Filipinos to become millionaires since it started the lotto games in 1995. As of November 24, 2010, PCSO has given more than P26 Billion as jackpot prizes on the 6/42, 6/45, 6/45 and 6/49 lotto draws. The first sole winner of the Grand Lotto (6/55), who won more than P134 Million on May 12, 2010, 6/55 Draw, came from Batangas.

Juico also said that the PCSO lotto games are conducted with full transparency and are carried out professionally. She also pointed out that the lotto draws are covered live daily on television at 9pm over NBN 4. A panel of judges composed of private individuals, witness the pre-draw, actual draw and post-draw procedures. "In our office, the Lotto draw are held, there are also observers from the PCSO and various representatives from the public to protect the integrity of the system. The draws are open to the public."

Thirty percent (30%) of the Lotto sales fund the medical and health services of the indigent patients nationwide, including hospitalization assistance, medical/dental missions and ambulance donations, among charity concerns. However, if the lotto winners fail to claim their prizes within one (1) year, the unclaimed prizes automatically go the Charity Fund. ***