Hong Kong lottery’s biggest winners and jackpot draws revealed as city counts down to HK$100m prize draw

LotteryplayersataHongKongJockeycluboff-coursebettingbranchinCentral.Photo:EdwardWong

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST) NextweekcouldseeoneluckypunterwinoneofthebiggestHongKonglotteryjackpotsinhistoryastheMarxSixcelebratesits40thanniversary.

ThedrawwillseeplayershopingtowinawhoppingHK$100millionprize,withHK$75milliononofferinaseparate‘snowball’draw.

HongkongersstartedsnappingupticketsonTuesdayforthemuchanticipateddrawsonMarch1.

ThebiggestlotterywineverrecordedinHongKongwasonDecember10,2013,whenoneplayerscoopedHK$90,951,590.

PeopleplayingthelotteryatHongKongJockeyclub.Photo:EdwardWong

MeanwhileinSeptember2014,thelottery’sfirstdivisionprizefundreachedHK$164,492,500andtherewereeventuallytwowinningtickets–witheachclaimingHK$82,246,250.

Beforethisyear,therehaveonlybeenfourdrawswithapossiblefirstprizeofatleastHK$100million.

InSeptember2014alone,thereweretwodrawswithjackpotsofHK$164,492,500andHK$113,277,528,whileSeptember2012sawarolloverworth$123,979,675.Afourthmegadraw,worth$133,528,650,washeldinMay2011.

PeoplefillinginMarkSixlotteryticketsinabettingstationin1977.Photo:SCMPPictures

AbettingshopinMableStreet,NorthPoint,hasbeentippedasasourceof“lucky”ticketsafteritsoldtwofirst-prizewinningticketsforthepreviousfourmegadraws.

Announcingthe40thanniversarydraw,aspokeswomanfortheHongKongJockeyClub,whichrunsthelottery,said:“Overthepast40years,theMarkSixlotteryhasbroughtnotonlyhopetocountlessHongKongpeoplebutalsomanybenefitstosocietythroughthegovernment’slotterydutyandLotteriesFund.

“Thisisthethemeofthethirdoffourspeciallycommissionedprogrammescommemoratingthe40thanniversaryoftheMarkSix.”

InJuly1997,tomarktheofficialhandoverofHongKongfromBritaintoChina,aspecial‘snowball’drawsaw39winningticketsscoopHK$705,770each.

Since2002,about500peoplehavewonthetopprize,claimingmorethanHK$10,000,000each.

Backin2010,thecostofalotteryticketdoubledfromHK$5toHK$10,withlotteryorganisersclaimingtheincreasewasnecessarytosustainit.TheminimumfirstprizemoneysubsequentlyrosefromHK$5milliontoHK$8million.