The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Tuesday launched its mobile application that allows Filipinos to check their Lotto results and winning numbers anytime, anywhere. The app features a user-friendly interface and a simple registration process that takes less than a minute. It also includes practical information about the lottery and its prizes, as well as tips on how to play. It is available for iOS and Android devices. The PCSO is encouraging people to register and join the lottery even as they continue to monitor and track the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Laos’ unique lottery tradition reflects the nation’s cultural and social nuances, offering a snapshot of a community’s shared experience. Rather than merely a series of sequenced numbers, the lottery offers a fascinating interplay of number combinations and animal symbols that entice players to try their luck in an ever-evolving game of chance.
As the winner of this week’s lottery announcements proclaimed their good fortune and those who weren’t so lucky looked forward to the next drawing, the mingling of luck and fate offered a glimpse of Laos’ enduring sense of optimism. But, while the lottery offers an exciting avenue for potential financial gains, it’s important to remember that it is a form of gambling, where the scales of luck could tilt either way.
The national lottery’s rigged system is making it difficult for Lao people to win large amounts of money, sources in the communist country told RFA’s Lao Service. The winners’ names are often listed incorrectly, and the numbers appear to disappear from tickets purchased throughout the day of a drawing. In one case, the number 509 appeared only as a five on purchased tickets after it was chosen in a drawing on Oct. 14.
Many of the business interests that run the lottery are connected to members of the ruling elite, a source told RFA’s Lao service. These interests have the power to influence the outcome of the drawings and should be stripped of their responsibilities, the source said. The government should resume full control over the lottery to ensure its accuracy and fairness, he added.
Vilouna, a fashion model and som tam lover who lives in the capital Vientiane, grew up watching her mother draw lottery numbers. She remembers the excitement and anticipation that surrounded the lottery draws, especially when her mother would buy multiple tickets. She says that if she were to win the lottery, she would donate some of it to her mother. “She deserves it,” she adds. “She has been working so hard.” Vilouna has since moved on to other ventures, but she still participates in the lottery when she can, and she always hopes for the best. “We all dream to be successful,” she says. “But we can’t succeed if we don’t try.” – Ounkeo Souksavanh and Bounchanh Mouangkham, RFA, Laos
