Tickets for the lottery will be available for purchase starting on Friday 16 October at the Jockey Club’s retail locations. This comes after a review of the current restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Strict capacity limits and social distancing measures will continue to be enforced at these outlets.
In addition to in-person sales, customers will now have the option to set up ewallets at Jockey Club branches. These ewallets allow players to buy tickets and receive winnings either through self-service terminals or remotely.
The Mark Six draws were temporarily suspended in February due to the height of the pandemic in Asia. Sales for the lottery only resumed in late September, with restrictions limited to HKJC’s online site and telephone betting service. The OCBBs (Off-Course Betting Branches) were also closed in February and reopened in June, but only on racedays. They closed again in July due to rising Covid-19 cases and reopened on 29 August with entry restrictions in place, such as temperature checks and mandatory face mask usage.
In the fiscal year ending 30 June 2020, HKJC reported a 39.0% year-on-year decrease in Mark Six turnover, amounting to HK$5.16bn. Although the pandemic worsened this decline, the operator noted that turnover would have likely fallen regardless due to a lack of significant updates to the game since 2002.
