January 08, 2019, 04:31 PM 
Yusaku Maezawa, founder of Japan's second-largest online shopping site Zozo Inc., decided to give away money to 100 random followers who retweeted his tweet.
That tweet now holds the world record for the Twitter post with the highest number of retweets.
Giving away money
In a tweet on Jan. 5, Maezawa announced that he would be giving away a total of 100 million yen (approximately S$1.25 million) to 100 lucky followers who retweeted his tweet by Jan. 7.
That works out to about S$12,500 per person.
He mentioned that this gesture was to express appreciation for all his customers following Zozotown's exceptional new year sales.
His tweet also included an image of a man on a rocket silhouetted against a full moon, supposedly in reference to Maezawa being introduced as the first passenger on a flight to the moon scheduled for 2023.
This is his viral tweet, which has received over 5.5 million retweets:
ZOZOTOWN新春セールが史上最速で取扱高100億円を先ほど突破！！日頃の感謝を込め、僕個人から100名様に100万円【総額1億円のお年玉】を現金でプレゼントします。応募方法は、僕をフォローいただいた上、このツイートをRTするだけ。受付は1/7まで。当選者には僕から直接DMします！ #月に行くならお年玉 pic.twitter.com/cKQfPPbOI3
— 前澤友作┃お金配りおじさん (@yousuck2020) January 5, 2019
Surpassed previous record of most retweeted tweet
Maezawa's tweet has well surpassed the previous record for being the most retweeted Twitter post.
The previous record was held by college student Carter Wilkinson who received over three million retweets:
HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS pic.twitter.com/4SrfHmEMo3
— Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) April 6, 2017
Has already chosen winners
On Jan. 8 morning, Maezawa announced that he was in the process of picking the lucky winners.
Winners were notified through a Twitter direct message.
おはようございます。
— 前澤友作┃お金配りおじさん (@yousuck2020) January 8, 2019
当選者へのDM配信開始します！
100名に送り終えるのに数時間かかると思います。
楽しみにお待ちください！！
70名に送り終えました。
— 前澤友作┃お金配りおじさん (@yousuck2020) January 8, 2019
あと30名！
心を込めて。
And in a tweet at 11.54am, he said that all winners have been chosen and notified:
100名の当選者さまにDMを送り終えました。皆さまの素敵な夢とRTに改めて心から感動と感謝です。あまりにも好評でしたので、いずれ第2弾もやりたいと思いますが、、、その前に #ZOZOからもお年玉 えっ!?えっ!?こちらもご覧ください！https://t.co/TS9b1eHF4S pic.twitter.com/7nMvGAj61t
— 前澤友作┃お金配りおじさん (@yousuck2020) January 8, 2019
Another contest to come?
Given the popularity of the giveaway, the rich Japanese man said that he is considering doing this again.
He has also invited Twitter users to participate in a poll regarding the type of prize they would prefer:
第2弾やるなる？
— 前澤友作┃お金配りおじさん (@yousuck2020) January 8, 2019
1 winner, winning 100 million yen
10 winners, winning 10 million yen each
100 winners, winning 1 million yen each
1000 winners, winning 100,000 yen each
Wow.
Get a Twitter account now.
Top photo via Yusaku Maezawa's Instagram & screenshot of tweet.
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