MANILA – A mathematics professor on Monday said it is highly unlikely—but not completely impossible—for 433 bettors to have won the P236,091,188.40 jackpot prize of the 6/55 Grand Lotto on Saturday night.

University of the Philippines Institute of Mathematics professor Dr. Guido David said there are 29 million combinations for the 6 digits needed to win the 6/55 Grand Lotto jackpot. This means that if a person bets on all 29 million combinations, he is expected to win once.

What is unusual, however, is that so many people got the right combination.

“Ang napansin natin na medyo unusual ay yung maraming nanalo. 433. Parang hindi nangyayari ito madalas, in fact bihirang-bihira,” he said in a TeleRadyo interview.

“Cinompute natin yung probability at napakaliit...Kung bibilangin natin ilang molecules sa buong mundo...mas kaunti,” he said.

“Kahit ilang bilyong taon na gagawin natin yung lotto, yung pagpupusta, parang hindi natin ine-expect na mangyayari itong ganito. Pero hindi naman naming sinasabing imposible,” he stressed.

The expert noted, however, that he backs calls for an investigation into what happened.

Senators Koko Pimentel and Risa Hontiveros have called for an investigation of the Lotto draw’s results.

• Senators call for investigation into 'suspicious' Grand Lotto results

“Hindi naman dapat ilabas sa publiko yung mga pangalan, kumbaga may privacy sila , pero I agree na kailangan, at least may parang inquiry or ayon nga, investigation,” David said.

“Tulad sa mga casinos, kunyari sa PAGCOR, pag may nangyaring kakaiba na out of the realm of probability, ay iniimbestigahan nila or gumagawa sila ng audit.”

--TeleRadyo, 3 October 2022