After 16 years of betting, retiree wins P76.1M lotto jackpot

MANILA — Retired but happy.

After betting for sixteen years, patience and consistency paid off for a 65-year-old male retiree from Iloilo City who won the P76.1 million jackpot prize of the Mega Lotto 6/45 draw last July 6.

His winning numbers 01-02-03-09-19-27 were lucky picks or computer-generated.

Claiming his prize on Wednesday at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in Mandaluyong City, the lone winner said he would invest in a business, save up for his future needs, and share his prize with his family.

PCSO Vice chair and General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said the winner has been constantly placing a P20-bet everyday since he retired from a private firm in 2000.

He used to bet with a favorite set of numbers derived from the birth dates of his family members, but last July 6, he only had P20 left in his pocket after buying medicine.

Placing bet became a habit, he said, especially that he had retired from his work.

The married winner has two children who now have their own families.

This week’s winner succeeded a Quezon City factory worker who claimed a P97-million jackpot in the Super Lotto 6/49 draw last June 19. He bought his winning ticket from a lotto outlet in Novaliches, Quezon City.  SFM