February 11, 2022, 06:49 PM
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How much would you pay to increase your chances of becoming a multimillionaire overnight?
A retired factory manager in Singapore splashed out S$1,200 on Toto bets that amounted to hundreds of tickets.
Felt lucky this year
The 67-year-old retiree, Zhu Zhao Lin (translated from Chinese), told Shin Min Daily News (SMDN) that he believes that his luck is not bad this year, owing to his goat zodiac sign.
Hence, he decided to splurge S$1,200 on bets.
He revealed that he had bought hundreds of tickets, most of which were distributed to friends, in hopes of sharing the chance to get rich with everyone.
His wife and mother-in-law also received some of the tickets.
Zhu's wife, Xie Li Ming (translated from Chinese), 60, said that she had told Zhu to place Toto bets, but did not expect him to spend so much.
Even her sister's family had been gifted some of the tickets from Zhu, Xie added.
Zhu declared that he would use the money for charity if he won the jackpot.
Mixed reactions
Some netizens felt that this would only benefit Singapore Pools:
"In the end, the biggest winner is Singapore Pools"
"Paying so much, you're donating money to Singapore Pools, Singapore Pools is getting rich."
Others shared more positive responses.
"The willingness to share with others is also a kind of blessing."
"As long as he and his family are happy, that's all that matters! Best wishes and good fortune for everyone."
One person remarked that the man might "pound his chest in frustration" if his friends ended up winning while he didn't.
Another found the story amusing and questioned how the person queueing behind the man would feel or look upon realising he was placing a lot of bets. 
S$16 million Hong Bao Draw
The Toto Hong Bao Draw boasts a S$16 million jackpot, which is the biggest prize since 2000.
The draw is scheduled at 9:30pm tonight (Feb. 11).
The prize money of the annual Hong Bao Draw snowballed to this amount after no winner emerged from the Monday, Feb. 7 draw.
Initially, the prize stood at S$12 million.
The huge prize money has attracted punters islandwide who have queued to place their bets, especially at a renowned Singapore Pools outlet in Hougang for the past few days.
In anticipation of the draw, the Singapore Pools main branch, as well as other branches, and authorised retailers, will open until 9pm on Feb. 11.
However, operating hours may differ across branches. Singapore Pools urges people to check their website for the opening hours of specific outlets.
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Top images via SMDN and Fiona Tan (for illustrative purposes).
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