Snaking queues formed at betting branches across Hong Kong on Saturday as residents snapped up tickets for the record HK$200 million (US$25.59 million) Mark Six snowball draw.
By 5.50pm, the turnover for the Year of the Horse snowball stood at HK$316.44 million, representing 5.07 times the total turnover of the HK$62.4 million recorded for the previous draw earlier this week.
The HK$200 million first prize is the highest in the lottery’s history.
Resident Wong Chun-hung, who works in sales and marketing, said he spent HK$20 on bets using numbers randomly generated by the system.
“I hope there is good fortune in the new year,” he said. “Good luck can come at any time.”
A man in his 60s surnamed Chung said he spent HK$200 on tickets, adding he had not yet thought of how to spend the fortune if he won.
