Lottery Singapore, operated by the state lottery company Singapore Pools, has been a staple of the city-state for decades. The company offers a variety of games and has more than 300 outlets across the country that facilitate ticket purchase and payment of prizes.
Lotteries and sports betting are regulated in Singapore by the Tote Board, a statutory body under the Ministry of Finance. In its last financial year, which ended in March 2022, the Tote Board reported a 40 per cent increase in the amount of bets placed on lotteries and sports.
The rise in bets has been attributed to the relaxation of Covid-19 measures and the resumption of global sports tournaments. The total amount spent on bets soared to $9.2 billion compared with the previous financial year, according to The Straits Times.
There are three main types of lottery games available in Singapore: 4-D, Toto, and Singapore Sweep. Each of these is operated differently and has different rules and odds.
4D
This fixed-odds lottery game is one of the most popular forms of gambling in Singapore. It is operated by Singapore Pools and results are announced every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 6.30pm (SG time).
Toto
The Toto lottery is the second most popular type of gambling in Singapore after 4-Digits. It was first launched in 1968 and is held by Singapore Pools, the only legal lottery operator in the country.
In a survey, 58 percent of Singaporeans have played Toto at least once in the past year. While the odds of winning are fairly low, it is still worth a try, particularly if you have some spare cash. However, there are some issues to be aware of when playing the Toto lottery online.
