Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 is one of the most popular games in the Philippines.
With a good minimum jackpot and cheap ticket cost, there are lots of reasons why it has so many players.
In this guide, we’ll share all the other details you need to know about this game and explain how you can buy Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 tickets online.
About Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 was launched on May 17, 1997, and has undergone a few changes since then.
The most significant changes are the rise in ticket price as well as the increase in the jackpot and prizes.
The game is run by the Philippines Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the government agency responsible for lotteries within the country.
The PCSO provides funds for health programs, medical assistance services, charities and national character.
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 Draws
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 gives players plenty of chances to win with three weekly draws.
Draws take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 p.m. PHST.
Each draw is broadcast on PTV, and results are officially announced afterward online and through the PCSO social media accounts.
Draws are usually suspended during all major public holidays.
How to Play Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 is a simple game to understand.
Players must select six numbers from a pool of 1 through 45.
To win the jackpot, a player must match all six numbers.
Players can either select their own numbers or choose the Lucky Pick option.
There are no bonus numbers or bonus games for Mega Lotto 6/45.
However, this game does offer System Play. With System Play, players can choose more than six numbers to make multiple combinations for their ticket.
There are seven system bets available: System 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and System 5-Roll.
For System 7, players choose seven numbers for seven combinations. System 8 allows players to choose eight numbers for 28 combinations.
Each system allows players to choose the corresponding amount of numbers. The more numbers there are in the system, the more combinations on the ticket.
System 5-Roll allows players to choose five numbers, and then the remaining 40 numbers are combined with the selected ones. This leaves players with a total of 40 combinations on the ticket.
A single line, or combination, costs PHP 24. Obviously, System Play adds significantly to the cost.
The most expensive ticket is a System 12 ticket, which costs PHP 18,480 for a total of 924 combinations.
Players who use popular lottery websites to buy their tickets may have to pay an additional fee.
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 Prizes and Odds
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 has a total of four prize tiers.
As previously mentioned, players must match all six numbers to win the jackpot. They must match a minimum of three numbers to win a prize.
Mega Lotto 6/45 has a minimum guaranteed jackpot of PHP 8.9 million.
If there is no jackpot winner, the prize rolls over to the following draw.
There are no jackpot caps, so jackpots can get pretty big-and quickly, thanks to the three weekly draws.
The odds of winning the jackpot are pretty decent, at 1 in 8,145,060. These are among the best odds of all the lottery games offered by PCSO. The only game that has better odds is Philippines Lotto 6/42.
However, some international lotteries with similar odds offer bigger jackpot prizes.
For example, Australia Saturday Lotto has identical jackpot odds and has a starting jackpot of AU $4 million. However, it also has a rollover cap of four weeks, whereas Mega Lotto 6/45 has no cap.
The overall odds of winning any prize from Mega Lotto 6/45 are 1 in 45.
The breakdown of odds and prizes is as follows:
Numbers Matched | Odds of Winning | Estimated Winnings |
6 | 1 in 8,145,060 | Jackpot |
5 | 1 in 34,808 | PHP 32,000 |
4 | 1 in 733 | PHP 1,500 |
3 | 1 in 45 | PHP 20 |
Claiming Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 Prizes
Winners have up to one year from the draw date to claim their prize.
Prizes of up to PHP 5,000 can be claimed at any official retailer. Prizes between PHP 5,001 to PHP 20,000 must be claimed at a regional PSCO branch office.
Larger prizes, including the jackpot, must be claimed at the PSCO headquarters.
For many years, there were no taxes associated with lottery prizes in the Philippines.
However, prizes of over PHP 10,000 are now subject to a 20% income tax.
Winners who buy lotto tickets from third-party online retailers may also be subject to their own local tax laws.
Notable Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 Winners
Mega Lotto 6/45 jackpots can sometimes go weeks without being won. As such, prizes can get pretty big.
The biggest jackpot in the game’s history so far was won for the May 26, 2021, draw.
A single ticket holder won the PHP 181,680,185 prize.
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45-Should You Play?
Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 has a lot going for it.
From cheap tickets, decent odds, three weekly draws and a rollover, no-cap jackpot, there’s certainly a lot of appeal.
If you’re looking to try out a new lottery game, then Philippines Mega Lotto 6/45 could be for you.