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Redistribute prize money for Singapore Sweep, Toto winners

The odds of winning Toto are one in eight million, while those of the Singapore Sweep are one in 3.5 million.

A queue outside a Singapore Pools outlet in Hougang. The odds of winning Toto are one in eight million, while those of the Singapore Sweep are one in 3.5 million. TODAY file photo

A queue outside a Singapore Pools outlet in Hougang. The odds of winning Toto are one in eight million, while those of the Singapore Sweep are one in 3.5 million. TODAY file photo

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Paul Chan Poh Hoi

The odds of winning Toto are one in eight million, while those of the Singapore Sweep are one in 3.5 million.

I agree that the first-prize winner deserves a large share of the money, but can we make windfalls more meaningful to the tens of thousands who are “lucky” enough to win more minor prizes?

Recently, two winners in the United States made headlines by sharing an S$800 million jackpot. If half that money were designed to be distributed among the winners of minor prizes, it would certainly spread the good fortune further.

I am not convinced that the revamp by the Singapore Pools earlier this year offers tangible rewards through the new 2-D delight prize in the Singapore Sweep. What we could consider is shifting some money from the top three prizes and redistributing it among the lower-tier winners.

There is hardly any “delight” for 2-D winners, as well as Group 5 (S$30) and Group 6 (S$20) Toto prize winners. About 315,000 people spend more in transport money to visit betting agents to collect a meagre S$6.

This is contrary to the Singapore Pools’ objective of attracting more punters. Tens of thousands of Toto groups 5 and 6 winners face the same dilemma.

The Singapore Pools may wish to consider more innovative ways to distribute meaningful sums to these “winners” to make it worthwhile to collect their winnings. This could be achieved by a slight reduction of profit margin and readjusting the Singapore Sweep first-prize windfall down to, say S$1.3 million from the current S$2.3 million, while attracting more punters by doubling consolation and participation prizes with more generous payouts on the other end of the scale.

It would also be more practical to reinstate the 3-D award prize and scrap the 2-D delight prize. The adjusted S$1 million from the first prize alone, plus Singapore Pools adding another S$1 million to the pool of prize money, would give 48,000 3-D award prize winners S$80 each.

Prizes for Toto groups 5 and 6 prizes should also be increased to S$100 and S$50, to make them more meaningful as a windfall.

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