One of Sierra Leone’s biggest betting and lottery companies Mercury International has made huge payments to the tune of 8.7 Billion Leones to over 14,000 Sierra Leoneans across the country.

These payments were made on Tuesday 20th December after the winning of the 18-81 draw which saw lots of customers becoming millionaires.

In Freetown, payments were made at their Walpole Street Office where thousands of winners collected their monies.

Lucky winners of the 18-81 lottery draw were beaming with smiles as they left Mercury Offices in Freetown with the least receiving about a million Leones.

Public Relations Officer of Mercury International Alhaji Komba said that the total winnings are 8,748 Billion Old Leone which is made to 14,770 winners noting the highest winning ticket is 50,250 million old Leones.

Several winners expressed joy over this huge winning and at the same time heaped praises on Mercury as the best.

One of the lucky winners said that he is happy because the winning is a Christmas gift for them.