Eye on the P1-B jackpot: Lotto bettors brave heat, long queues

With the jackpot for the UltraLotto 6/58 expected to reach P1 billion by Tuesday, lotto outlets of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) across the country have attracted long queues. Filipinos  taking a chance to bet on the right number combination and hit the jackpot have one hope: a better life.

READ: Ultra Lotto 6/58’s Tuesday jackpot likely to hit over P1B

Would any of these lotto hopefuls win the highest jackpot in PCSO history?

Lotto outlet in PRC, Makati on October 9, 2018. PHOTO by Christia Marie Ramos/INQUIRERnet

Bong Quintero, who works as a janitor for a condominium, placed his bet at an outlet in Barangay La Paz in Makati.

When asked what he would do with the money in case he wins, he answered enthusiastically: “Marami. Maraming pag-iisipan. Bibili ka ng bahay, saka kotse. Saka mamamasyal sa malalayong lugar na hindi mo napupuntahan (There were many we can think about. You can buy a house, car. We’ll go places that we don’t normally visit).”

For a chance of a better life, 34-year old Ronnie Daloso and Butch Reyes, a middle manager for a company in Makati, were among other bettors who placed their bets at the same lotto outlet.

Reyes, a regular bettor, said that the lottery is a “game of chance.”

“Well, it’s a game of chance, swerte na lang kung manalo ka (you’re lucky if you win), the chance is one over 40 million, di ba? So, nagbabakasakali ka, and I guess everyone nagbabakasakali (So you take a chance, and I guess everyone is taking a chance),” he said.

READ: Odds of winning Ultra Lotto 6/58 jackpot is 1:40 million — PCSO

Meanwhile, retired factory worker Imelda Ong queued, amid the heat, at another lotto station in PRC in Makati, hoping to bag the jackpot.

If she wins, she said part of the money will be given to orphanages and repairs for her mother’s resting place.

Larry Bernabe, who moved from Iloilo 26 years ago to Makati and currently works as a messenger, also joined thousands of other lotto hopefuls.

Another one who tried his luck was Joey Dominquez, a 23-year-old contractual worker for a fast-food chain.

Charma Bangoy, who works as a project manager for a business process outsourcing company, believes that joining the lottery embodies that side of the Filipino character that is ‘hopeful.’

“Lahat naman tayo gusto nating magkaroon ng magandang buhay. Financial freedom, isa yan sa number one natin. At saka yung positivity natin as Filipinos, yung meron pa tayong hope di ba (All of us want a better life. Financial freedom – that’s our number one aspiration. It also shows our ‘positivity’ as Filipinos. We have hope, right)?” she said. /ee