Lotto sales jump 38% after higher minimum jackpots take effect — PCSO
By Jel Santos
Lotto sales increased by 38.3 percent following the implementation of higher minimum jackpot prizes, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said on Monday, Feb. 9.
In a statement, PCSO reported that total Lotto sales from Feb. 1 to 7, 2026 reached P413,827,025.00, higher than the P299,172,920.00 recorded during the same period in 2025.
The agency said the increase followed the rollout of higher starting jackpots across major Lotto games beginning February 1.
As such, the PCSO reported higher player participation during the same period, with the number of Lotto tickets sold rising by 10.7 percent year-on-year.
PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles said the rise in Lotto sales year-on-year suggests that the higher minimum jackpots have appealed to players.
“By offering bigger prizes right from the start, we are making Lotto games more exciting and rewarding while ensuring the system remains fair, transparent, and sustainable,” he said.
“H igher sales also mean a high degree of confidence by the betting public in the Philippine lottery system.”
The PCSO general manager said increased participation directly supports PCSO’s mandate to fund health, medical, and social welfare programs nationwide.
“Higher participation means more resources for medical assistance and other social services that benefit Filipinos in need,” he said.
The enhanced jackpot structure forms part of PCSO’s efforts to modernize the Lotto system and align it with internationally accepted gaming practices, the agency said.
Meanwhile, Robles urged the betting public not to patronize illegal gambling not only in order to avoid being defrauded but in order to help the government sustain its social service programs.