The lottery dream lives!
Last night’s Mark Six Draw — which sent Hongkongers into a ticket-buying frenzy with its first prize of HK$133 million (US$17 million) — was only partially won, meaning half of the prize money will roll over to next week’s jackpot, likely to again boast a top prize of more than HK$100 million.
The lucky winner of last night’s draw, you see, only bought half a $10 entry ticket, EJ Insight reports.
Though not taking home the whole jackpot , we imagine whoever it is would be somewhat content now that they’re HK$66.9 million (US$8.5 million) richer.
According to The Standard, 10 people won second prize of HK$1.4 million each.
No word on whether any of the winners was this guy, who needed to be rescued by emergency services after jumping into a 5 meter-deep drainage canal to retrieve a ticket swept away by the wind.
At the time he bought the ticket, the jackpot was worth HK$110 million (US$14 million), and increased as Hongkongers queued for hours at Hong Kong Jockey Club branches for a chance to be a millionaire.
If won by a single entry, last night’s lottery would have been the highest prize money in Mark Six’s history, according to The Standard.
The highest prize money offered — in May 2016 — saw two winners split a HK$169 million first prize.
The draw with the highest single winning first prize was on December 10, 2013, when the winner got more than HK$90 million, the newspaper reported.
Given the excitement generated by last night’s lottery — which ballooned after the first prize went unwon for eight draws — next week’s is also expected to boast a top prize in excess of HK$100 million.
