How to play 6D
6D Lotto is run by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). It isn't a PAGCOR game, so the rules and the legal places to buy are different. PCSO calls it the "active gaming form" of the traditional sweepstakes.
- Pick six digits. One number from 0 to 9 in each of the 6 columns of the play slip. You can also just tell the teller, or choose Lucky Pick (LP).
- Mark the amount. Minimum ₱10 per combination. You can go higher in the AMT column.
- Advance draws. Same numbers for 2 up to 6 consecutive draws, via the DRAW panel.
- Check the ticket. PCSO says the player alone is responsible for checking the numbers, amount and draw date printed on the ticket.
Buy only from authorized lotto outlets or PCSO's official online channel. Our online lotto guide explains how to tell the official channel from fake "lotto agents." Remember: pcso.gov.ph is the official website. Some look-alike domains are not PCSO.
Price and draw schedule
| Item | According to PCSO |
|---|---|
| Price | ₱10 per combination (minimum), including the 20% DST |
| Draw days | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday |
| Draw time | 9:00 PM, live on IBC13 and D8TV and PCSO's official livestreams |
| Where | Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao |
| Age | 18 and over to buy or claim |
Just one draw per night, three nights a week. For shorter digit games, see 4D Lotto and Swertres 3D, or start at our PCSO lotto guide.
Prizes per tier
All matches must be in exact order. These are PCSO's published amounts per ₱10 play:
| Tier | How to win | Prize per ₱10 |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | All 6 digits | Starts at ₱150,000 (minimum) |
| 2nd | First 5 or last 5 | ₱40,000 |
| 3rd | First 4 or last 4 | ₱4,000 |
| 4th | First 3 or last 3 | ₱400 |
| 5th | First 2 or last 2 | ₱40 |
The 1st prize is pari-mutuel. If nobody wins, the 1st prize pool carries forward to the next draw. If there are several winners, the pool is split according to the size of each bet. PCSO's page says each winner gets at least ₱150,000 per ₱10, but it also says the 1st prize "may be lower" than published depending on the number of winners. It isn't verified yet which applies in each situation, so check with PCSO if it happens.
Exact odds, with working
Each digit is 0 to 9, so there are 106 = 1,000,000 possible tickets. Here we counted how many of them win in each tier, counting only the highest tier per ticket. (That's our assumption; it isn't verified yet whether one ticket can win two tiers.)
- 1st: 1 ticket. Odds 1 in 1,000,000.
- 2nd: First 5 right, 6th wrong = 9 tickets. Last 5 right, 1st wrong = 9. Total 18. Odds 1,000,000 ÷ 18 = 1 in 55,556.
- 3rd: First 4 right, 5th wrong, 6th anything = 9 × 10 = 90. Same for last 4 = 90. Total 180. Odds 1 in 5,556.
- 4th: First 3 right, 4th wrong = 9 × 100 = 900. Last 3 = 900. Total 1,800. Odds 1 in 556.
- 5th: First 2 right, 3rd wrong = 9,000. Last 2 right, 4th wrong = 9,000. Minus 81 tickets that fall into both (counted once), minus 18 that belong to a higher tier. Total 17,901. Odds 1 in 55.9.
We double-checked these by computer, going through all 1,000,000 tickets. Any prize at all: 19,900 tickets, or about 1 in 50. That means 49 out of every 50 tickets win nothing. For the same math across every PCSO game, see PCSO lotto odds.
How much comes back on average?
Expected value is the average amount a ticket pays back over a huge number of plays. Using the minimum 1st prize:
(₱150,000 × 1 + ₱40,000 × 18 + ₱4,000 × 180 + ₱400 × 1,800 + ₱40 × 17,901) ÷ 1,000,000 = ₱3,026,040 ÷ 1,000,000 ≈ ₱3.03 per ₱10 ticket.
That's before tax, and it changes with carry-overs or split prizes. But the point is: on average, about ₱7 of every ₱10 doesn't go back to players. Part of that goes to PCSO's charity programs. That's how lotto is designed, so only use your entertainment budget.
Myths to forget
- "7 hasn't come out in a long time, so it's about to." Draws have no memory. Every draw is a fresh 1 in 1,000,000.
- "Hot numbers" and "cold numbers." Past results don't change future odds. All 1,000,000 numbers have an equal chance.
- "I have a system." No betting system changes the odds. More bets just means more spending.
- "There's an insider selling numbers." That's a scam. Nobody can know the result before the draw.
How to claim
According to PCSO's 6D page:
| Prize | Where to validate and claim |
|---|---|
| ₱20 up to ₱10,000 | Any authorized lotto outlet |
| ₱20 up to ₱500,000 | PCSO branch offices |
| ₱20 up to jackpot | PCSO Main Office, 2nd Floor |
Prizes above ₱10,000 are subject to 20% tax under the TRAIN Law, per PCSO. For 6D, that means the ₱40,000 2nd prize becomes ₱32,000 after tax. PNA, citing RA 1169, reports that winners have one year from the draw date to claim before the prize is forfeited. Full steps and IDs are in our how to claim guide.
If it's not fun anymore
Open 24/7. Free and confidential. If you're betting to "win it back," or you're already using money meant for bills, call. Family members can call too.
FAQ
How much is a 6D Lotto ticket?
According to PCSO, ₱10 per six-digit combination, including the 20% Documentary Stamp Tax. You can bet more than ₱10 on one combination.
When is the 6D Lotto draw?
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9:00 PM, according to PCSO. It airs live on TV and on PCSO's official livestream.
What are the odds of winning the 6D 1st prize?
1 in 1,000,000 per combination. There are 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000,000 possible six-digit numbers, and only one is right.
Is there a way to win 6D more often?
No. Every draw is random and independent of the past. Betting on more combinations adds to your chance but also to your cost, so it doesn't win in the long run.
How old do you need to be to bet on 6D?
According to PCSO, you must be 18 or older to buy a 6D ticket or claim a prize. SugarFun itself is for adults 21 and over.
Sources
- PCSO, 6D Lotto game page (archived copy dated September 13, 2026; how to play, price, prize tiers, draw schedule, age rule, where to claim, TRAIN tax note)
- Philippine News Agency, “QC, Pasig bettors claim lotto jackpots” (November 26, 2023; one year from the draw date to claim under RA 1169)
- Note: pcso.gov.ph blocked our direct requests while we were writing, so we read the archived copies linked here. Always confirm the latest rules on pcso.gov.ph.
Kassandra Marcos is SugarFun's lead reviewer. She checks every site against PAGCOR's official list and writes our game and responsible gaming guides. How we test