The live broadcast of Hong Kong’s Mark Six draw was disrupted for nearly 20 seconds on Saturday (September 12) due to a rare equipment failure. The incident occurred when the lottery balls dropped into the rotating draw machine, but the central tube failed to release the balls.
On-site staff immediately approached to inspect the machine, while female host Stephanie Lee announced a temporary suspension of the draw, prompting the team to instantly activate emergency response procedures.
Under the full supervision of officiating guests Ho Wai Shek, JP, and Tse Ho Yi, Acting Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Christian Service, staff quickly wheeled the backup draw machine onto the stage and unsealed a secondary set of lottery balls to load into the machine.
Following a delay of roughly four minutes, the draw successfully resumed. The winning numbers drawn were 9, 18, 24, 33, 40, and 47, with the extra number 11. Total turnover for this draw exceeded HK$42.59 million. The first prize rolled over, while two winning units claimed the second prize, paying approximately HK$753,000 per unit. The estimated first prize fund for the next draw is expected to reach HK$13 million.
Equipment failures in Mark Six history are extremely rare. The last similar incident during a live broadcast dates back to September 20 in 2014, when a ball jammed in the fourth-generation machine, prompting the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) to immediately switch to a backup machine to complete the draw. The HKJC emphasized that all draw procedures are governed by strict contingency plans and monitored by independent third-party guests, ensuring the fairness and integrity of the results remain entirely uncompromised.
Host Stephanie Lee earned widespread praise for her calm and professional composure under pressure. Operating without a script, she clearly and fluently explained the machine replacement procedure to viewers. She later revealed on social media that the HKJC conducts annual emergency rehearsals to ensure the team remains composed during unexpected events. She also explained that if a breakdown occurs after some numbers have already been drawn, the rules state that the drawn numbers remain valid, while the remaining balls are loaded into the backup machine to complete the process.
In the extreme scenario where both draw machines malfunction, although the Lottery Rules do not explicitly outline physical workaround steps on site, they state that any unforeseen circumstances not covered by the rules will be subject to the final decision of the HKJC Board of Stewards or its authorized representative. If a machine failure is severe enough that the draw cannot be completed fairly under reasonable conditions, the HKJC reserves the right to declare the draw void and canceled, with all accepted bets fully refunded.
