The Philippine lottery, known as the Grand Lotto, awarded the top prize to 433 people this weekend. Due to the rarity of the event, the Philippine authorities are, according to the BBCto investigate the case.
To receive a prize valued at 236 million pesos (about 4 million euros), Filipinos had to bet on a combination that contained only numbers that were multiples of nine.
The investigation began with the complaint of one of the members of the Senate, Koko Pimentel, considering that the results are “suspicious.” “Lotteries are licensed by the Republic of the Philippines, so we must maintain and protect the integrity of these games of chance,” she said.
After the controversy, Melquiades Robles, one of the members who organizes the game, assures that there is no possibility that the results will be manipulated. “A lot of the bettors kept their regular numbers. Not only is it good to be loyal to your wives and husbands, it’s also good to be loyal to your numbers,” he joked.
Several math experts, questioned by the BBC, consider that 443 people hitting the same winning combination is “extremely rare”, but it is possible.
“I have been playing multiples of nines, eights, sevens and sixes for many years and am grateful to finally have the opportunity to win,” explained one of the 433 lottery winners in the Philippines.
Source: TSF
