Who wants to be a billionaire?
This is a legitimate question on many Filipinos’ minds right now as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said earlier today that they expect the UltraLotto to reach PHP1 billion (US$18.4 million) tomorrow.
“We estimate that because the jackpot collected last night was big, the prize money will hit PHP1 billion (US$18.4 million) tomorrow. That’s for sure. It may even go over PHP1 billion (US$18.4 million),” PCSO Assistant General Manager for Gaming Arnel Casas told radio station DZMM this morning.
The UltraLotto jackpot prize last night was at PHP954,503,164 (US$17.6 million), which no one won.
The jackpot prize for this particular game has been elusive to bettors ever since February. Those who bet need to get all six numbers out of 58 right, which is why it’s so difficult to win.
The buzz around it has gotten so big that even President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte placed bets.
READ: FEELING LUCKY: First Daughter Sara Duterte bets on more than PHP800 million lotto jackpot
The possibility of becoming an instant billionaire only intensified the hype, as seen in posts online.
Twitter user @jyjulni is already fantasizing what he would do with all that money.
“When you and your friends imagine what you would do if you won the lotto jackpot,” he said in Filipino.
https://twitter.com/jyjylni/status/1049140772811853824
Same goes for @Louiella_. “If I will be the one to win the jackpot lotto, I have so many plans and I wish it will happen,” she said.
https://twitter.com/Louiella_/status/1049114326743695360
@nananakamura81 said that if she wins, she’ll be so over the world.
“I JUST WANT TO OWN THAT LOTTO JACKPOT. F*CK THE EARTH IF THAT HAPPENS.”
https://twitter.com/nananakamura81/status/1049137253862191105
@maykelgalano had a more sober perspective. “The lotto jackpot is 1 BILLION. Whoever wins it will have his or her life changed,” he said.
1 BILLION na jackpot sa Lotto magbabago buhay ng mananalo nun
— ＭIⲤHAEL J〇E (@maykelgalano) October 8, 2018
While @yana_yangyang said the jackpot prize is making her want to join the game too.
“The lotto jackpot is so big, I’m encouraged to bet too,” she said.
https://twitter.com/yana_yangyang/status/1049113513598148609
This will be the first time a lotto jackpot prize will reach a billion. The last big lotto win was in 2010, when one person took home more than PHP741 million (US$13.7 million). Lotto winnings are subject to a 20 percent tax but that’s still a lot of moolah.
UltraLotto draws happen every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. The final jackpot prize will be determined tomorrow, after betting sites close at 8:3opm.
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