Lottery officials in Philippines say nothing suspicious after 433 players share $4M jackpot
Grand Lotto winning numbers were all multiples of 9, prompting questions from lawmakers in the Philippines
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Officials in the Philippines are investigating a highly unusual outcome in a national lottery.
The Grand Lotto reportedly saw hundreds of players claim the Oct. 1 jackpot worth approximately $4 million in U.S. dollars.
Lottery organizers at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office have confirmed at least 433 people have won the prize, which will be divided up into prizes worth slightly less than $10,000.
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Filipinos line up to buy lottery tickets promising a jackpot of $4.3 million in suburban Manila Feb. 17, 2009. (Jay Directo/AFP via Getty Images, File / Getty Images)
It's the most people to have ever won the same prize in Grand Lotto history. The reason for the massive amount of winners could be the unique outcome of numbers — each part of the winning ticket was a multiple of 9.
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"I’ve always been betting on the pattern 9, pattern 8, pattern 7 and pattern 6 for many years, and I am thankful that this time, I won," one winner said, according to the South China Morning Post.
Filipinos buy lottery tickets at a mall in Manila, Philippines, Sept. 25, 2018. (Richard James Mendoza/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
But the chances of such a unique lottery outcome have raised eyebrows.
"These lotto games are authorised by the Republic of the Philippines," said Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III. "Therefore, we need to maintain and protect the integrity of these gambling games."
The lottery authorities, however, stand by the results.
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"Lottery is a game of chance, nothing is definite and it is uncontrollable," said sweepstakes manager Melquiades Robles. "To the 433 new jackpot winners, it pays to be loyal."