Citizensun,
It has nothing to do with the winglets. Also the static discharge wicks do not stop an aircraft from being hit by lightning as you allude to by the number of wicks. They merely provide a point of static discharge on aircraft (lightning being one instance of increasing the value of which) to atmosphere.
The placement of the wicks is all to do with the construction materials used in the manufacture of the winglets, and their ability to conduct electrical charges.
GB