Italy’s lottery has frequently attracted the attention of many around the country. The most recent and current attraction can largely be attributed to the fact that so recently the jackpot climbed to heady heights.
The main prize in the SuperEnalotto currently sits at a resounding €251.8 million. Several rollovers have made this climb, climb and climb. If translated to South African rand based on the current exchange rate to the euro, this adds up to billions of ZAR. It’s a record amount pinging to many corners of the globe.
Entering the SuperEnalotto is straightforward. You need to select six numbers from a pool of one to 90 and what the draw calls a jolly number – it is effectively the bonus ball. Get all the numbers right and you’re in for the jackpot, but there are lower tier prizes available for getting some – if not all – the numbers right. These smaller prizes under the main one can be quite lucrative, too.
The draw is casually called the Superlotto and happens three times a week. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday offer an opportunity to win at the start of the week, into its middle and toward its end. South Africans familiar with their homegrown lotteries will recognise that the Italian lottery happening three times a week is more often than the twice per week the SA Lotto and SA Powerball have on offer.
South Africans love a good celebrity story, too. Mzansi mense from Mowbray and Manenberg to Plumstead and Parys – and back – might be interested to know that George Clooney, Liz Hurley, Paris Hilton and even Madonna have dabbled in the SuperEnalotto. Some of them have reportedly bought 100s of tickets at a time.
Clooney and Madonna have been known to win in the draw, too – not the jackpot, but among the lower-tier prizes. American actor Clooney donated his winnings to earthquake victims in Haiti, while Madonna put her prize money towards educational funds in Malawi. How very generous of them and so appreciated.
South Africans also can appreciate good odds in life and play. There is a lot to be said for the one in 20 chances of winning any prize in the Italian lotto, which also sports one in 622 million chances of winning the main prize. Now that might seem really high, but considering the significant size of the main prize – especially when converted to rands – it can be well worthwhile.
For the superstitious or numerically conscious South Africans out there, it’s good to know that the SuperEnalotto can be entered with quick picks or manual selections. Those who opt for the latter often base their picks on anniversaries, birthdays and other significant dates in their life. Sometimes ideas for number selections come to them in dreams and there’s also the school of thought that hinges their digit choices on numerology signs and other influences. No matter the method of selection, there are no guarantees the numbers will be the winning ones, but it can be important to make them count nonetheless.
