Singapore Pools Lottery operator. Singapore Pools (Private) Limited was incorporated by the government on 23 May 1968 to provide a legal avenue for betting in Singapore, and help reduce illegal gambling. Besides acting as the official channel for betting, surplus earnings of Singapore Pools are donated to community causes. Singapore Pools is wholly owned by the Singapore Totalisator Board.
The first public lottery offered was a simple, manual version of Toto (see Toto and 4D), launched on 9 June 1968. This was followed by the Singapore Sweep on 28 February 1969, with tickets sold from small stand- alone booths all over the island. Punters had a chance to win up to $400,000 (first prize) for the price of a $1 ticket. The top prize has increased progressively over the years, passing the $1 million mark in 1983, and the $2 million mark in February 2004. On 26 May 1986, 4- Digit numbers betting, or 4D, was introduced alongside the company’s move from a manual to a computerized gaming system. On 30 March 1999, Singapore Pools launched the first legal football betting game, Score, to heighten interest in local soccer.
There are over 300 Singapore Pools betting outlets located on the island. In December 2000, Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club decided to combine and streamline their operations. Singapore Pools’ lottery and sports betting games are now sold by both organizations.