ArenaPlus campaign turns 12 Filipino basketball fans into millionaires

Filipino NBA fans who won big from predicting the basketball league’s 2026 Playoffs winners plan to use their nearly ₱150 million in winnings to jumpstart businesses and assist their families.

ArenaPlus awarded a total of ₱150 million to twelve winners of its 2026 NBA Playoffs MVP: Battle for the Most Valuable Predictor campaign on November 6.

Launched in official partnership with the NBA back in March, the free-to-play contest challenged Filipino basketball fans to predict the outcomes of the 15 games in the iconic American basketball series. Participants were given two entries to fill out their postseason brackets.

The grand winner, a woman named Mahan, took home ₱100 million after correctly predicting the outcomes of 14 of the 15 Playoffs games.

Eleven others won ₱3.125 million each from the ₱50 Million Shared Prize Pool, having also correctly predicted 14 of the 15 game outcomes.

“[Gagamitin ko ang pera] pang-negosyo po, pambili ng mga bahay, lote,” Mahan said of her jackpot.

She added that the earnings will go toward bringing her family together for the Christmas holidays, as well as surprising her siblings with trips and her children with a more extravagant celebration.

“[Gusto ko] ‘yung magsama-sama po kaming lahat, dati kasi magkahiwalay kami. Yung biyenan ko po, hindi po namin kasama pero ngayon po magkakasama na. Isu-surprise po namin yung mga kapatid ko, mag magulang ko, asawa ko, anak ko,” Mahan said.

JR, one of the ₱50 million prize pool winners, said he would also use his winnings to bring his loved ones together for the holidays.

“Hopefully gusto kong iuwi ‘yung partner ko, kasi nasa ibang bansa siya. Nasa Bicol ‘yung anak ko last year, kaya sana ngayon sama-sama na,” said JR, who works in a printing business.

JR added that the life-changing amount would also help his mother, who is struggling with diabetes.

Another prize pool winner, Marc, said he felt inclined to help his siblings with the winnings, especially since their parents had already passed away.

“Yung ibang magkakapatid, nag-aaway-away, pero kami ayos-ayos lang. Kaya i-eenjoy namin ang Pasko na magkakasama dahil sa ArenaPlus,” Marc said. He described himself as a minimum-wage earner.

Building on Filipinos’ cultural obsession with basketball, ArenaPlus Head Ethan “Layson” Williams said the success of the campaign could pave the way for similar contests in the future.

“Filipino basketball fans do more than watch games. They talk about the games, teams, discuss who might win, and make their own predictions. So the NBA Playoffs MVP campaign is something we just want to make the experience more fun and rewarding,” he said.

Qualified winners of the ₱50 Million Shared Prize Pool may claim their winnings until December 6, with the guidance of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. Winners who need assistance may reach ArenaPlus Customer Service through the official app or website.