June 22 - A recent report into Kenyan lottery, First Lotto, has
revealed that Kenyans hoping to win the Sh20 million jackpot in the Toto 6/49
lottery are facing staggering odds of 1 in 14 million, which may explain why
since its launch 7 years ago, no one has won it yet.
First Lotto, which boast offices in all the major Kenyan towns, says that an
average of 20,000 players play in the lottery each week, with payouts totaling
between Sh1 million and Sh1.5 million. However, the lottery has landed itself in
hot water with the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB).
The BCLB is concerned that the odds of winning a jackpot are too high and that
Kenyan lottery fans are being misled. In addition, it contends the First Lotto
is not paying out the stipulated 25 percent of lottery revenues to charities and
good causes.
It claims that Toto 6/49 has raised in excess of Sh500 million since its launch,
but has to date only paid out Sh20 million.
Last year First Lotto was bought by new owner, Club of Clubs, a company
registered in the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea. The buyout came
after the collapse another Kenyan lottery firm, Playwin, known by its popular
name Je Ukipata?
Je Ukipata, which reportedly incurred over a Sh70 million in debts, went bust in
April last year when a foreign investor pulled out of a Sh500 million deal to
keep the lottery afloat. Playwin promised Kenyans to pay out Sh10 million in
winnings each week, but it went under before anyone won the jackpot.
When asked why the lottery had not paid out any major jackpots yet, the First
Lotto CEO said, 'This is a game of numbers and we only have 20,000 players.'
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