Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 is one of the newer national Filipino lotteries.
Despite its relative newness, it is no less popular than the older classics-and with good reason.
In the following guide, we’ll explain its best features and how you can buy Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 tickets online.
About Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 had its first draw on April 19, 2010.
It was introduced as a replacement for another popular game, The Power Lotto.
The game is run by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), which is the government-run organisation responsible for lottery.
Since launching, it has become one of the most popular games offered by the PCSO due to its larger jackpots.
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 Draws
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 has three draws every week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9 p.m. PHST.
Draws are broadcast live on TV on PTV as well as on all official PCSO online accounts.
Players have up until 8 p.m. PHST on the day of the draw to buy their tickets.
Like all PCSO games, draws are suspended during major holidays.
How to Play Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 requires players to choose six numbers from a pool of 1 through 55.
To win the jackpot, a player must match all six numbers.
Players can choose between selecting their own numbers and using the Lucky Pick option. The Lucky Pick option randomly generates numbers for the player.
Like all other PCSO games, Grand Lotto 6/55 also offers System Play to help improve odds.
System Play allows players to choose more than six numbers on one ticket, with the numbers put into different combinations.
There are seven types of System Play bets: System 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and System 5-Roll.
Systems 7 through 12 allow players to choose the amount of numbers specified in the name. For example, System 7 allows seven numbers and System 8 allows eight numbers and so on.
The amount of numbers selected also dictates the amount of combinations on the ticket. System 7 has seven combinations and System 12 has the most combinations, at 924.
System 5-Roll works a bit differently. Players instead choose five numbers, and combinations are then formed with each of the remaining numbers in the pool.
Tickets for Grand Lotto 6/55 cost PHP 24 per combination. Obviously, this means System Play tickets are significantly more expensive than a standard ticket.
Players who buy tickets online from third-party websites may need to pay additional fees.
Players in the Philippines must be at least 18 years old to buy tickets for any PCSO game.
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 Prizes and Odds
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 has four prize tiers.
To win the jackpot, a player needs to match all six numbers. To win any prize, a player must match at least three numbers.
The game has a minimum guaranteed jackpot of PHP 29.7 million, one of the largest offered by PCSO.
If no ticket holders match all six numbers, then the jackpot rolls over to the following draw. The jackpot continues to grow until someone wins, with no jackpot or rollover caps.
The jackpot odds are decent at 1 in 28,989,675. Though these are tougher than most PCSO draws, the jackpot for Lotto 6/55 does start a lot bigger.
However, some international lotteries have similar odds and better jackpot prizes.
For instance, US Cash4Life has 1 in 21,846,048 odds with a top prize of US $1,000 a day for 20 years. The upside is that Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 has no caps, while Cash4Life is a fixed prize.
The breakdown for prizes and odds are as follows:
Numbers Matched | Odds of Winning | Base Winnings |
6 | 1 in 28,989,675 | Jackpot |
5 | 1 in 98,604 | PHP 100,000 |
4 | 1 in 1,643 | PHP 1,500 |
3 | 1 in 79 | PHP 100 |
Claiming Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 Prizes
Winners have up to one year after the draw date to claim their prizes.
The location for claiming prizes differs depending on the amount won.
Players can claim any prize up to PHP 5,000 at an official lottery retailer. Prizes between PHP 5,001 to PHP 20,000 must be claimed at regional PCSO offices.
All prizes larger than that must be claimed at the PCSO headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
Unfortunately, all prizes over PHP 10,000 are subject to a 20% tax.
Winners who bought their tickets from a popular lottery website may be subject to additional taxes according to local laws.
Notable Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 Winners
With no jackpot or rollover caps, Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpots can grow to impressive amounts.
The largest jackpot to date was won shortly after the game was introduced.
Just months after its launch, a single lucky winner took home PHP 741,176,323 in November 2010.
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55-Should You Play?
Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 is an exciting game with a format that is easy to understand.
With limitless jackpots, cheap tickets and three draws a week, there are plenty of reasons to love this game.
If you’re looking to try your luck with a new game, then Philippines Grand Lotto 6/55 could be for you.