MANILA – A lone bettor from Agusan del Norte province became an instant millionaire after winning the jackpot of the Super Lotto 6/49 in Thursday night’s draw.
In an advisory Friday, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Melquiades Robles said the bettor guessed the winning combination 48-19-10-17-47-49, which carried a total jackpot prize of PHP27,978,266.40.
The ticket was purchased in Santiago, Agusan del Norte.
Meanwhile, 19 other bettors won PHP50,000 each for guessing five out of the six winning digits, while 716 will get PHP1,200 each for four correct digits, and 11,190 will settle for PHP50 each for three correct digits.
The bettor can claim the check at the PCSO main office in Mandaluyong City upon presenting the winning ticket and two identification cards.
Lotto winnings of more than PHP10,000 are subject to a 20 percent tax under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.
Prizes not claimed within a year shall be forfeited.
The Super Lotto 6/49 is drawn every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
This is the first time this month that a bettor won the jackpot prize of the government’s lottery games.
Robles urged the public to patronize these games to generate more funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities.
Meanwhile, the PCSO wants the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to look into the spread of illegal numbers games similar to “jueteng” in some barangays in southern Luzon.
Robles, who is also vice chairman of the board of the PCSO, said he would bring to the attention of the DILG the proliferation of a “jueteng”-like illegal gambling game dubbed as “Barangay Lucky Bingo,” which is allegedly operated by a network of unscrupulous barangay officials in Batangas and Occidental Mindoro.
He said they have gathered a stack of evidence, including video footage, on the involvement of erring barangay officials in the operation of the illegal games in the two provinces.
Robles said it would be up to the DILG to go after the barangay officials, particularly barangay chairmen, who not only condoned but were actual operators of the illegal gambling game.
The PCSO earlier issued an advisory on the purported fund-raising gambling game proliferating in Batangas and Occidental Mindoro, saying it has issued no authority for the Barangay Lucky Bingo games to operate in the two provinces.
As the state charity agency with the mandate to operate the nationwide lotto games, only the PCSO can allow such lottery games to operate in the country.
"The PCSO games, such as the Lotto and STL (small town lottery), redound to the benefit of the government and the public," Robles said.
Funds raised by the lotto and STL games are PCSO revenues that go to their Charity Fund, 40 percent of which are mandated by the Universal Health Care Law to fund the government’s flagship health care program.
The remainder of the Charity Fund goes to the PCSO's Medical Assistance Program, and their patient transport vehicles or ambulance distribution program to local government units (LGUs) and institutional medical centers and hospitals.
Robles said the PCSO also releases a share of the lotto and STL revenues to LGUs all over the country, especially those who host lotto and STL games.
Earlier, Robles assured that the PCSO continues to coordinate with the Philippine National Police to curtail these illegal gambling activities.
“It is a fact that we have a lot of illegal operations and we are doing our best to contain them. Because, yes, they directly affect our contribution to Universal Health Care, but rest assured we are working. We don’t have police powers but we are using a lot of persuasion and legal moves to curtail the operations of the illegal 'jueteng',” he said.
“We are doing our best to have this prevented para naman (so that) the legal STL, who are paying their taxes and, in fact, contributing to the coffers of PhilHealth, can operate and proliferate.” (PNA)
