Ultra lotto pot prize has reached P1 billion

If you win the P1 billion prize in the Ultra Lotto 6/58 tonight, what will you do? Other than keeping your cool, there are a few things you need to know.

Since the stake is now over P300,000, the prize can be claimed at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) main office in Manila.

An employee at the PCSO Cebu Branch, who refused to be identified, said that because of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law, all prizes beyond P10,000 will be taxed 20 percent.

The would mean that if one wins P1 billion, the take-home amount is P800,000.

To keep the winner safe, the PCSO does not publish the name of the winner, but will only announce from which outlet the winning combination was bought.

To win P1 billion, there are 40 million combinations to be bought to get the winning combination.

Couple Celsa and Alfredo Arnaiz said it is scary to win P1 billion, although they still buy tickets every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

“Kon amo nang madag-an, amo na ideretso’g apod-apod sa mga charities ug foundation (If we win that prize, we’ll immediately distribute it to charities and foundations,” said 63-year-old Celsa.

Adi Claurito, 29, a lotto outlet operator, said he gets an average of 50 people buying Ultra Lotto tickets.

The number of bettors, he said, has not changed despite the increase of P4 from P20 per 6/58 ticket.

Melanie Encio, 24, a lotto outlet operator in a mall, said around 70 people buy tickets every day.

The Ultra Lotto draw tonight will be at 9 p.m.