Un-lucky numbers win big

The total winnings of the last lotto draw were four times the average amount, after the deaths of a priest and a fireworks enthusiast the previous Sunday inspired punters to try their luck on numbers linked to the tragedy. At €1.1 million, raked in by a total of 4,500 players, the amount of prize money distributed was one of the highest in the Saturday lotto history, a spokeswoman for lottery company Maltco said. It is a custom in Malta for lottery players to bet on numbers related to people they hold close to their heart, such as their age, anniversary or other important event. Last Saturday, it paid off. The winning five numbers included 75 as the Prima (the first drawn number), 27 and 4. On Sunday, November 4, 75-year-old Peppi Cini was among four victims of a fireworks tragedy in Għarb, when the Sacred Heart of Jesus fireworks factory was flattened by three explosions. A few hours earlier, 27-year-old Fr Renè Cilia, a popular priest, died in a traffic accident in Żejtun on his way to Mass. A spokeswoman for Maltco Lotteries Limited said €1.1 million were distributed to players in the categories of Terno, Ambo and Prima. Prima is when the player guesses the first drawn number,...