"People are excited," explained a young lotto operator in Cubao. "The e lotto is going up."
And going up it was. A possible winner in Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office or PCSO e lotto would become a millionaire overnight. The same lotto operator, whose outlet is several steps from Araneta City, claims that he sells a thousand lotto tickets every day. More or less. The clients were diverse, he added.
Men and women, people in casual wear as well as people in banket suits, and all the variants in between. The jackpot, which increased after no one had the winning combination, brought new clients. People are spending a lot of peso on this. They were hopeful. The lotto operator wondered if they cared at all. Is e lotto secure and trustworthy at all?
Let's start with many countries that are plagued by corruption, and many people will be skeptical about their government. That said, it would be right to make sure that (physical) lotto and e lotto are secure and trustworthy. And verify the authenticity of lotto jackpot winners. We'll discuss the latter later.
PCSO must check their website regularly. The government-owned corporation has a website where users, or clientele, can see the lotto results immediately. They can also go to that page devoted to e lotto solely. But we have a problem. Error 522? Not good at all. PCSO e lotto must assure the public that efficiency is their top priority.
Highlight the outreach programs. If users, or clientele, will scroll down the PCSO main page, then they will see the PCSO latest news. It's about the outreach programs that PCSO have done in the past. It might be too much to highlight one, or all of their previous activities, but it's not. After all, it's imperative for PCSO, and other businesses, to be user-centric. Helpful information goes a long way. Highlighting their outreach programs will make this corporation more trustworthy.
Do a live stream, or video, of how the winner is determined. PCSO could add a document to their website, where it would provide details on how many bettors would place their bet on each combination. A reel is better. A PCSO e lotto representative can discuss it. Facebook is the best platform. This procedure should prevent the government-owned corporation from creating fake bettors with the correct combination after the official draw. Manipulating this process would be very challenging, but keeping the public trust would prompt PCSO to do it.
How can agencies help? PCSO can rely on agencies for posting the document, or video, on their websites. An ad can do as well. The latter can create revenue. Either way, this move would lessen the suspicion of fraud. Some agencies might use blockchain technology, but we're on the fence on this one. Is crypto technology a First World thing? It looks like it. Some companies and services, where cryptocurrency is accepted, claim that the government is not in favor of it. Further discussion is needed on this one.
PCSO needs CCTV. That should erase all doubts. Enough said.
Update "Pangarap Kong Jackpot". Perhaps a dramatization of e lotto winners must be shown on the YouTube channel of PCSO. Not a few would ask about TV (or free TV). A mobile device is handy and convenient. Users can watch it during idle hours, if not rush hour. Anywhere. The winner can give a short testament (like how he/she handles the pressure and risk after that life-changing moment). The next item is related to this one.
Show them. Let's show the face of the winner. PCSO can blur the face like what TV news do when they do investigative journalism. But it doesn't have to be mandatory. The government-owned corporation can make an arrangement like how they can ensure that the winner's privacy, and winning, is protected. Then again, efficiency is an issue. Both parties can discuss it.
There must be more eyes in the process. Clientele used to watch the evening draw on the government-owned TV station. There were a few people conducting the draw. Or is it? It’s not different from e lotto. It’s a question of transparency. If PCSO is willing to make the effort, then they can assure the public that there is less likely a case of security vulnerability.
All of the above suggestions are easier said than done, but PCSO should look at the bigger picture. There will be an increase in the number of lotto tickets sold if they can make the lottery more secure and trustworthy. Not a few will remain skeptical, but they can’t win it all. They need to look at the positives or the majority. Do you have other suggestions? Let us know.
Good luck! Let’s play e lotto.
