ULTRA Lotto 6/58 jackpot has breached the P1 billion mark, the highest and richest in the Philippine history, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Alexander Balutan said on Monday.
“Even foreigners can win the jackpot prize if they bought a ticket as long as they are 18 years old and above, which is the age requirement, and as long the claimant has the winning ticket, he or she can take home the jackpot prize,” Balutan said.
Balutan revealed that there are reports that even foreigners in the country were buying tickets hoping to win the jackpot prize.
“Itong P1-billion jackpot prize ay napaka-historic sa PCSO, lahat, lalo na ‘yung mga tumataya eh excited, ‘di na mapakali, at gustung-gusto na talagang manalo. Whoever wins this prize will be the first-ever PCSO billionaire,” Balutan said.
“Alam mo sabi ko nga last time, sana maraming manalo para distributed ‘yung jackpot prize lalo na itong P1 bilyon kasi sobrang laki n’yan, nakakalula! Para marami tayong mapaligaya. At habang papalaki ng papalaki ang naman ang jackpot, lumalaki din ang sales natin sa Ultra Lotto. Napalaking tulong ito sa ating Charity Fund. Sana may masuwertehan na talaga,” said Balutan.
So far, the biggest jackpot recorded in the history of PCSO is the P741-million jackpot in the Grand Lotto 6/55, which was won by a lone bettor from Olongapo City, Zambales on November 29, 2010.
“A day before the draw, this 60-year-old Filipino male residing New York bought the ticket at Royal Duty Free Mall in Subic, Olongapo. He got the right combination of 11-16-42-47-31-37. He claimed his prize in December that year,” Balutan shared.
It’s been eight months since two lucky bettors won the Ultra Lotto 6/58 in February 2018, splitting the P331,971,464 jackpot into two.
“Remember to place your bets on or before the draw, which is every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. Keep your ticket/s in a safe place. You might not win the entire six digits, but you have a prize if you get the five to three winning combinations correctly,” reminded Balutan.
If by some stroke of luck, you really won the jackpot, the winner has to bring two valid identifications cards. Show the winning ticket to the prize claim section of the Accounting and Budget Department.
After validating the ticket has been validated, the Treasury department will issue a cheque indicating the amount won with the winner’s name. The winner can now go to the Landbank of the Philippines to encash the cheque or he/she can pen a bank account for safekeeping purposes.
“Winning a huge amount of jackpot prize will definitely change your outlook in life, your lifestyle, and priorities. Don’t become one-day millionaires. Money is good when you use it to improve your life, your family, and your community. Don’t lose yourself,” added Balutan.
In closing, Balutan assured the public that everyone has a fair chance of winning since all lottery games are drawn by the machine. The agency has a strict implementation when it comes to draw procedures, making sure that the money or bets are really there.
“Whoever holds the winning ticket is the winner. So sign your winning lottery ticket immediately and take extra precautions. If you can take a photo and video of yourself with the winning ticket, do it. But don’t post it publicly for security reasons. Isipin mo ang iyong seguridad at ng iyong pamilya,” emphasized Balutan./PN
