Toto (lottery)
Toto (est. in 1968 and stylized as TOTO) is a legalized form of lottery sold in Singapore, known by different names elsewhere. It is held by Singapore Pools, the only legal lottery operator in Singapore. As of April 2015, it was the second most popular type of gambling activity, after 4-Digits.[1] Toto can be purchased from any of the Singapore Pools outlets across Singapore. Draws are conducted every Monday and Thursday at 18h30 or 6:30pm (SG time). In case of the cascade draw, the draw time will change to 9.30pm.[2] The "live" Toto draw can be viewed at the Singapore Pools Main Branch at 210 Middle Road. The profits from Toto go to the Singapore Totaliser Board (the owner of Singapore Pools) which uses the money for charity and other worthy causes.
 | |
| Region | Singapore |
|---|---|
| Website | www |
History of Toto
Toto was established to control widespread illegal gambling in Singapore during the 1960s. A manual version of Toto was launched on June 9, 1968.[3] In 1981, "snowballing" was introduced.[4] It allowed the top prize to increase from draw to draw. The system entry mode is introduced so multiple bets can be made on a single coupon.[5]
On May 19, 1986 Toto was offered as a computerized on-line game based on a '5 out-of 49' format. In 1988, the game was changed from a '5 out-of 49' format to a '6 out-of 42' format. On July 1, 1997, Toto's format was changed once again to a '6 out-of 45' format.[6]
The game introduced several popular draws, including the Toto Millennium Draw (December 30, 1999), the Hongbao Draw (February 10, 2000)[7] and the Mooncake Draw (October 6, 2006).
On October 7, 2014 Toto was changed to a '6 out-of 49' format.[6] In September 2016, Toto became available online.[8]
Method of Play
A buyer picks at least six numbers, from 1 to 49. The winning numbers drawn include six numbers plus an additional number. Three or more winning numbers on a ticket matching the seven numbers drawn qualifies the buyer for a cash prize. The prize money escalates with the increase in numbers matched.
The maximum allowed matching numbers is seven (with the winner winning both group 1 and group 2 of the draw - this can only happen if the person bought a ticket of system 7 and above). Thus, if six numbers on the Toto ticket matches the six numbers drawn (apart from the additional number), the jackpot (Group 1) prize is won.[4]
Placing of bets
There are 4 different ways to place bets:
| QuickPick | The computer randomly selects 6 numbers from 1 to 49 for the buyer. No bet slip is required for QuickPick bets. |
| Ordinary Bet | The buyer selects 6 numbers from 1 to 49 by marking them on a bet slip. |
| System Bet | The buyer selects 7 to 12 numbers from 1 to 49 by marking on a bet slip. For example, a System 9 bet is a selection of 9 numbers. |
| System Roll | The buyer selects only 5 numbers from 1 to 49. The 6th number is a guaranteed winning number. |
Bet Slip
Bet Cost
| Bet Type | Number of Ordinary Bet combinations | Cost |
| Ordinary | 1 | S$1 |
| System 7 | 7 | S$7 |
| System 8 | 28 | S$28 |
| System 9 | 84 | S$84 |
| System 10 | 210 | S$210 |
| System 11 | 462 | S$462 |
| System 12 | 924 | S$924 |
| System Roll | 44 | S$44 |
The minimum bet amount is S$1.00 per bet ticket. Bets can also be placed by bet amounts. The computer automatically sells the buyer the maximum number of bets for the bet type placed. The balance amount is placed on the next lowest bet type.
Result Ticket
Payout and odds
| Prize Group | Matches | Prize | Odds of winning[9] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Jackpot) | 6 numbers | 38% of prize pool | 1 in 13,983,816 |
| 2 | 5 numbers plus the additional number | 8% of prize pool | 1 in 2,330,636 |
| 3 | 5 numbers | 5.5% of prize pool | 1 in 55,491 |
| 4 | 4 numbers plus the additional number | 3% of prize pool | 1 in 22,197 |
| 5 | 4 numbers | $50 per winning combination | 1 in 1,083 |
| 6 | 3 numbers plus the additional number | $25 per winning combination | 1 in 812 |
| 7 | 3 numbers | $10 per winning combination | 1 in 61 |
The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 54. 54% of the total Toto sales for each draw goes to the Toto prize pool. The Group 1 prize has a minimum guaranteed amount of $1 million. If there are no winners in one of the groups (excluding Group 5, 6 & 7), the respective group's prize will be snowballed to the next draw. Group 1 prizes can only be snowballed up to 4 draws, thereafter, the prize will be cascaded to Group 2.[9]
References
- "More than Half of Singapore Gambles; But Only 2 in 100 at Risk of Gambling Addiction" (PDF). Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. April 13, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 10, 2007. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
- "In case of the cascade draw, the draw time will change to 9.30pm".
- Baker, Jalelah Abu; Chia, Rachel; Teo, Dominic (February 19, 2018). "Queues at 'lucky' outlets as punters rush for last chance at $13.9 million Toto prize money". The Straits Times. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
- "Singapore Toto Results". rushresults.com. November 22, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
- Jermyn Chow (August 28, 2014). "Toto to dangle fatter top prize, slimmer odds". AsiaOne. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
- "Toto Hongbao Draw: Winning numbers and 103 lucky outlets". The Straits Times. February 19, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
- Josephine Teo (February 28, 2018). "Most users of legal online gambling sites not first-time gamblers". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
- >"Singapore Toto". www.intmath.com. Retrieved 23 February 2019.