Consecutive Mark Six draws each see 13.5 second-prize winners, but payouts vary

Hong Kong’s Mark Six lottery delivered an unusual outcome: two consecutive draws each produced 13.5 second-prize winners, but payouts differed sharply.

The Year of the Horse Lunar New Year Snowball draw on 21 February (26/020) saw five first-prize winners, each receiving more than HK$42 million. The 13.5 second-prize winners collected HK$1.13 million per full ticket.

The next draw on 24 February (26/021) saw one first-prize winner, who won HK$80 million. The second prize again had 13.5 winning tickets, but full tickets earned HK$79,160 and half-tickets just HK$39,580.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club said second-prize payouts depend on the number of winners.

Observers said the 26/021 draw numbers — 2, 3, 4, 10, 13 and 23, with 12 as the special number — are common choices, often linked to birthdays and anniversaries, contributing to the lower payout.