Winners must select the numbers in the order drawn to win 1st prize, and 2nd prize winners select five out of 6 numbers in the correct order. Third prize winners select the correct numbers, which are not in the order of those drawn. During the first drawing, no first prizes were awarded but one winner won the more than HK$166,000 2nd prize.
Evolution
Officials amended the initial format of the Mark Six game in Hong Kong due to the game’s unpopularity. By 1976, the game allowed players to choose 6 numbers out of 36. In 1983, the total number in the game increased to 40. Since 2002, players are choosing 6 correct numbers in order out of 49 to win the 1st prize.
A lottery machine automatically chooses the numbers from balls, which are labeled with numbers from 1 to 49. The special number is drawn from the same machine as the first six numbers. Like other lotteries, if there is no winner, prize money is added to the jackpot for the next drawing.
Prize money continues to roll over until someone wins. First prize winnings may reach HKD$100 million, which occurred three times, in 2016, 2005, and 2004, according to online reports.