# Mark Six

Mark Six (Chinese: 六合彩; Jyutping: luk6 hap6 coi2; Cantonese Yale: luhkhahpchói) is a lottery game organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

## History

The first iteration of Mark Six, known as 多重彩 in Chinese (Jyutping: do1 cung5 coi2; Cantonese Yale: dōchúhngchói), was launched on 5 September 1975, in an effort to battle the then-popular tse fa (Chinese: 字花) illegal lottery draws.

### First iteration

The first iteration of Mark Six was a 6-out-of-14 drawing, with a guaranteed jackpot of HK$120,000. At the time, winning the Mark Six jackpot would allow a person to buy an apartment flat in Tsim Sha Tsui, which cost, on average, HK$80,000. To win the 1st prize, however, the player must select all the winning numbers, in the order the numbers were drawn. The 2nd prize requires the winner to select five of the six winning numbers, in the order the numbers are drawn. Those who selected all the winning numbers, but not in the order the numbers are drawn, are eligible for the 3rd prize.
The first drawing was held on 5 September 1975. There were no 1st prize winners and one 2nd prize winner in this drawing. The 2nd prize winner won HK$166,729.

### Reform

The first iteration of Mark Six was noted to have been unpopular with Hong Kong residents. On 6 July 1976, The game was revamped to a 6-out-of-36 format, and renamed to its current Chinese name, on 6 July 1976.
The total amount of numbers in play increased from 36 to 40 in 1983, and saw further increases in 1987, 1990, and 1996. The current 6-out-of-49 format has been in place since 2002.

## The game

The game is a 6-out-of-49 lottery-style game, with seven prize levels. The winning numbers are selected automatically from a lottery machine that contains balls with numbers 1 to 49. Unlike other lottery drawings that feature a separate lottery machine for the final number, such as Mega Millions, the final number for each Mark Six drawing, known as the special number in Chinese (Chinese: 特別號碼) and the extra number in English, is drawn out of the same machine as the other six numbers drawn.
If nobody wins the 1st and 2nd prizes, the money that would have been paid out for the prizes will be added to a Jackpot (多寶獎) in the next draw. If there are winners of the first prize, these winners take the jackpot fund as well. If again there is no winner, the process continues until there is, and in such cases 1st division winnings can build up to about HKD$100 million (compared to the normal HKD$8 million 1st division prize), as seen several times in 2004, 2005, 2016.
For each draw, a certain percentage (see below for details) of the entry money is deducted and placed into a Snowball Pool. On selected draws, the Snowball Pool is added to the 1st division prize as well. These draws are known as Snowball Draws (金多寶). The HKJC decides which draws are snowball draws. Usually the date is chosen to match a public holiday or festival, and the draw is named accordingly.
These draws are very popular due to their large 1st division prizes.
Each unit of numbers costs HK$10, which, following a big price cut in 1976 and subsequent price increases over the years, is at the same level as when the first drawing was held in 1975.

## Prize

Prize allocations are governed by rules established by HKJC Lotteries, which operates the Mark Six lottery. Prizes for 1st to 3rd division wins are calculated based on a complex formula, with a guaranteed minimum prize fund for 1st division prizes. Prizes below 3rd division wins are fixed at a certain amount, and do not change.
Mark Six Prize (as of 2011) :
| Prize | Criteria | Prize |
| 1st | All 6 drawn numbers | 45% x (Prize Fund minus a snowball deduction and total amount payable to 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Division Prizes, with a minimum prize fund of HK$8 million). The lot is then divided amongst the bets that won. |
| 2nd | 5 out of 6 drawn numbers, plus the extra number | 15% x (Prize Fund minus a snowball deduction and total amount payable to 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Division Prizes). The lot is then divided amongst the bets that won. |
| 3rd | 5 out of 6 drawn numbers | 40% x (Prize Fund minus a snowball deduction and total amount payable to 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Division Prizes). The lot is then divided amongst the bets that won. |
| 4th | 4 out of 6 drawn numbers, plus the extra number | HK$9,600 |
| 5th | 4 out of 6 drawn numbers | HK$640 |
| 6th | 3 out of 6 drawn numbers, plus the extra number | HK$320 |
| 7th | 3 out of 6 drawn numbers | HK$40 |