Lottery Singapore is a regulated form of gambling in Singapore. It is operated by Singapore Pools (Private) Limited, which operates more than 300 outlets throughout the country that facilitate ticket purchases and prize payments. The company also generates funds for social and charitable purposes. Despite its controversial reputation, this lottery is legal and the profit it makes goes to charity and other legitimate activities.
Since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, people have been spending more on gambling and this has contributed to strong results for lottery products. In the Tote Board’s last financial year, there was a record amount wagered on lotteries and sports betting. The statutory body collected more than SGD9.2 billion in wagers, which is a 43% improvement over the previous year. In addition, the daily casino entry levy collected from Singaporeans and permanent residents was more than SGD125 million, a 10% increase over the previous year.
TOTO is the most popular lottery game in Singapore and its prizes are usually millions of dollars. Players spend $1 to choose six numbers from 1 to 49 for each draw. If their selections match the winning numbers, they win a prize. Generally, the price of each ticket is the same for each drawing, but players can purchase system bets.
Although the odds of winning the jackpot are slim, many players still play to try their luck. A Gojek driver named Mr Cho, 48, said he places bets of up to $400 a week on football games and other lotteries at Singapore Pools. He has been playing the TOTO lottery for more than 20 years.