Marine police officer wins $69m - on a single $10 quick pick bet

Marcus Lum

A marine police officer scooped half of the record HK$128 million Mark Six jackpot on Tuesday night on a HK$10 bet.

The lucky win had become a hot topic within the police force, with screenshots of the winning ticket and the winner's betting record and account balance circulating among officers.

It is understood that a 36-year-old marine police officer from the Small Boat Division, surnamed Lam, won HK$69.23 million with a single HK$10 quick pick bet that he placed online.

The officer had reportedly taken leave immediately after winning.

In response to media inquiries, police said that officers' participation in gambling activities is a personal matter unrelated to police duties, and the force had no further comment.

According to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, there was one full-bet winner and two who got one-fourth of the HK$128 million jackpot each after placing HK$5 half bets.

The full-bet winner and one of the half-bet winners placed their bets through digital channels. The club added that, normally, winners of prizes over HK$1 million need to collect their winnings at its headquarters in Happy Valley.

But if the winning bet was placed through telephone betting services, electronic shroff card, interactive services, or "standing instruction" services, the prize money would be automatically deposited into the winner's betting account.

This means that two of the three winners do not need to collect their prizes in person and will receive direct transfers.

There were also 14 second-prize winners, each receiving HK$844,560, while each of the third-prize winning bets received HK$48,390.

The numbers drawn were 8, 13, 18, 23, 31 and 47, while the extra number was 16.

The total turnover for the draw was HK$328,821,743.

This is not the first time a police officer won the Mark Six jackpot.

In 1995, former police chief Dick Lee Ming-kwai, along with 11 colleagues, bought a ticket and won a jackpot of HK$38 million. Lee's share amounted to some HK$7 million.

In 2007, a female police officer and another lucky winner won the first prize jackpot - with each receiving HK$37 million.

Another police officer won the first prize and shared over HK$45 million with several others in 2011, with the officer receiving more than HK$13 million.

marcus.lam@singtaonewscorp.com