SG #1 again: World’s highest average lottery bet per pax

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SG #1 again: World’s highest average lottery bet per pax

May 28th, 2015

http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/05/28...et-per-person/



The Chinese press reported: Singapore is number 1 in everything. Unsurprisingly in 2014, we have come up top again in another world ranking exercise, albeit a not-so-flattering one – we are #1 in national average spending on lottery bets at S$1,361.

According to statistics collated by La Fleur, a US-based publisher on lottery, in 2014, the average sales of Singapore Pools stood at USD1,019 (S$1,316), clinching top spot in the world lottery ranking list.

Second place – by a country mile – went to Massachusetts Lottery, USA, with average sales of USD730 (S$975) per person. OPAP Lottery from Greece came in third with average sales of USD474 (S$633) per person. Fourth in the list was Veikkaus Oy, Finland, with USD452 (S$604) average sales per person, while fifth place went to Georgia Lottery, which sold USD404 (S$540) worth of bets.

In another annual statistical report issued by the Ministry of Finance, Taiwan, the 2013 sales for lottery in Singapore amounted to S$6.27 billion, earning it a global ranking of 14. However, based on average sales per person, with a small population of just 4.7 million residents, Singapore is ranked top in the world.

China is the world’s largest lottery market, and its 2 lottery companies secured the top 2 positions in terms of total sales. Last year, these 2 companies made a total of USD56 billion in betting profits.

Reasons for high lottery sales in Singapore

The betting outlets in Singapore are conveniently located at every corner of the island and may have contributed to the high sales volume.

According to analysis by the National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance, Taiwan, it is commonly thought that striking it rich through lottery is the hope of the poor. So, poor nations are expected to rank high in lottery sales. However, sales figures collated from various countries show the opposite, that it is rich nations that top the list in lottery sales.

Indeed it is not hard to understand why gambling is not scorned but subtly encouraged by the Singapore government.

The reports of the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Singapore Tote Board reveal a disturbing trend.

In 2013, the government received S$1.4 billion in tax revenue from the Singapore Tote Board.

Correspondingly, the key source of funding for Singaporeans in need, Comcare, disbursed S$102 million in assistance to 72,000 Singaporeans. On average, a Singaporean and family in dire straits would receive a ‘princely’ sum of $112 per month in financial assistance to live in the costliest city in the world.

Who is the real lottery winner in Singapore?

What do you think?


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