Identical lottery draw raises eyebrows in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's Sports Minister Svilen Neykov ordered on Wednesday a special review of the national lottery after the same numbers were picked in straight draws.

The numbers 4, 15, 23, 24, 35, and 42 were drawn on September 6 and again on September 10 in consecutive lottery rounds.

The probability of this happening is 4.2 million to one, mathematician Mihail Konstantinov commented, although he added that such coincidences can happen.

Three of the numbers also appeared in the September 13 draw.

Lottery deputy chairwoman Maria Yaneva excluded any possibility of manipulation, telling the 24 Hours newspaper that the numbers were drawn in different order each time.

The draws take place in the presence of a special lottery committee that guarantees no manipulation, and it is broadcast live on television, she added.

An unprecedented 18 people guessed all six numbers when they were drawn the second time on September 10. The winners will each get 10,164 leva (5,197 euros).

In the first draw on September 6, nobody got all six numbers right.

The last major jackpot in the Bulgarian lottery of 3.8 million leva (1.94 million euros) fell in January 2008.