How to Play Toto Singapore – 5 Steps for Beginners

The signature look of the Toto Singapore lottery is very well known in its native country. Written as TOTO, you can’t miss it when walking past outlets selling the tickets to locals.

But why miss out if you can’t visit one of these outlets yourself? TOTO should be part of every lottery player’s regular list of games, especially because of the regular draws that give you more chances of winning than many other popular ones that only happen once a week.

And don’t worry, our easy set of guidelines and tips on the Toto Singapore lottery will help newbies and experienced players alike – you can become a pro in this game quickly, so you increase your chances of winning some welcome cash!

What You Should Know about the Toto Singapore: Rules & History

Singapore Toto

Singapore Toto Origins

The history of this lottery stretches back as far as the 1960s. In June 1968 this legal game was launched as a strategy to prevent illegal gambling in Singapore.

This was a serious topic for the government to address, since gambling addiction was a concern, which led to the country criminalizing these activities. At the time there were various syndicates related to gambling and this was an initiative to provide legal options and prevent fraud and crime of this kind.

Toto Singapore was a chance for locals to once again enjoy games, without breaking any rules.

All About the Name

Note that this lottery actually has a certain style to its name. Instead of ‘Toto’ as you’ll often see, the name is actually stylised as TOTO. This will make it easy to identify when looking for registered outlets to play your favorite lottery game when in Singapore.

Singapore Toto Changes over the Years

Don’t be surprised if you come across outdated guidelines on how to play Singapore Toto. If it doesn’t quite make sense when you try to apply it on the modern setup of the game, it could be that those tips were designed for an older version of TOTO.

Here’s a summary of all the changes it went through:

  • 1960s: It started out as a ‘5 out of 49’ format game.
  • 1988: Organizers implemented the ‘6 out of 42’ format, with jackpot prizes being a guaranteed S$300,000.
  • 1997: They changed the format to ‘6 out of 45’. Here the guaranteed jackpot was S$500,000.
  • 2014: The company started the current format of ‘6 out of 49’.

Who Operates Toto Singapore?

The Toto Singapore lottery is a game hosted by Singapore Pools. There aren’t many lotteries in Singapore, but this entity hosts the following services and lotteries that players can enjoy:

  • Singapore Sweep
  • 4D
  • Bookmaker services for football and motor racing
  • TOTO

Singapore Pools is a subsidiary of the Tote Board which falls under the country’s Ministry of Finance. This entity is the single lottery operator in the country that enjoys legal status to host these kinds of games. The company has brick and mortar establishments across the country that players can visit. The draws are even held at the main branch!

Legal Age to Play TOTO

Many rules for lottery playing are very similar to most other countries. For example, if you want to play Toto Singapore or other lottery games offered by Singapore Pools, you must already be 18 years of age.

Where can You Play Toto Singapore?

With Toto Singapore, players can truly customize their playing habits to their personal preferences. This is thanks to the many ways you can gain access to this game:

  • Registered Singapore Pools outlets: Across the country you’ll find Singapore Pools brick and mortar establishments. Some of these outlets are open round the clock, so locals can buy their tickets whenever they’re in the mood to try their luck. It’s also easy to find a Singapore Pools outlet near you, thanks to a detailed list available on the company’s website. They even stay updated with information such as which outlets are closed temporarily.
  • Singapore Pools online: After years of only operating from brick and mortar outlets, the company became more modern and made the Toto lottery available online in 2016. After registering, locals can now bet using this online platform or by downloading the app.
  • Lottery agents: This is also a lottery you can have fun buying tickets of or betting on the outcome, simply by using lottery agents. These online lottery platforms give international players the opportunity to play 24/7.

2 Draws a Week

As mentioned, this is one of the Asian lotteries that make your weekly plays more fun, thanks to not one but two draws during every week:

  • Mondays at 6:30 pm
  • Thursdays at 6:30 pm

Memorize the times, because ticket sales come to an end 30 minutes before each draw.

Odds of Winning

To win any prize in the Toto Singapore lottery, your odds are 1 in 54. This is less favorable compared to some other major lotteries like US Powerball. However, you have much better odds of getting your hands on the jackpot in this game.

Here’s a breakdown.

Prize Tier Numbers matched Odds of Winning
Jackpot 6 main numbers 1:13,983,816
2 5 main numbers + additional number 1:2,330,636
3 5 main numbers 1:55,491
4 4 main numbers + additional number 1:22,197
5 4 main numbers 1:1,083
6 3 main numbers + additional number 1:812
7 3 main numbers 1:61

Singapore Toto Prizes

In this lottery, 38% of the prize pool goes towards the jackpot. However, you’re guaranteed a minimum of S$1 million as the jackpot prize. Thanks to snowballing, prizes for the first 4 prize tiers will roll over if there are no winners in those categories, helping players win more in the next draw.

Note that the jackpot amount will only snowball for a total of four draws. If no one has won it, tier 2 winners will benefit, since the accumulated amount will cascade downward and increase this prize amount.

There are also some set prizes, and this table will give you an idea of what to expect.

Prize Tier Prize – %of prize pool/amount
1 38% (minimum of S$1 million)
2 8%
3 5.5%
4 3%
5 S$50
6 S$25
7 S$10

Steps to Play the Toto Singapore

Pick Your Playing Method

As mentioned above, there are multiple ways to take part in the Singapore Toto lottery, so decide which one is most appropriate for you. Will you go online using the Singapore Pools site or a lottery agent?

We do suggest you get familiar with all the ways available to you, so you can switch between them if necessary. For example, there are fewer online lottery agents offering this game as an option compared to other international lotteries. So, for locals in Singapore it’s worthwhile to know which Singapore Pools outlets are closeby. Then, if your favorite new lottery agent offers MegaMillions but not this game, you can quickly head out and place your bet before the draw.

Play the Toto Singapore

Source: Lottoland

Mark the Days You Want to Play

Remember, this game takes place twice a week, so to increase your chances of winning, why not bet on each draw? If your budget requires you to only pick one a week, add it to your calendar so you don’t forget.

A bet not placed, is a chance missed at winning big.

Select Numbers

In the easiest form of this game, you need to pick 6 numbers from the range of 1 to 49.

However, with this lottery, the organizers offer a lot of flexibility to players when picking numbers. Yes, you can simply pick 6 numbers, pay S$1 and hope to win big. However, pay a little more and you can select more numbers for that bet – called additional numbers – increasing your chances of winning. This is called a System Entry and you can pick up to 12 numbers.

You can also opt for something called a System Roll, where you’ll pick the 5 ordinary numbers but also a rolling number. You may not be able to win the jackpot, but that rolling number represents all other 44 numbers you haven’t picked. Therefore, you definitely have one number correct and you’ll have bigger odds of getting at least three digits correct to win a prize.

A System Roll will cost you S$44 when using Singapore Pools outlets.

Watch or Monitor the Draw Results

You can use Singapore Toto online results, to check if you’ve won a prize in Singapore Loto, but Singapore locals may like to watch the action live? This you can do if you’re close to the Singapore Pools branch at 210 Middle Road. This is the brand’s main branch.

Claim Your Prize

If you used an online lottery agent to play Toto Singapore, do check their policies to find the easiest way to claim your prize. If you’re in Singapore and using Singapore Pools outlets or the online service to bet, here’s how you need to claim:

Play method Amount Claim method
Purchased physical ticket at outlet Less than S$5,000 Claim at Singapore Pools outlets
Purchased a digital ticket online Less than S$5,000 Claim at outlets that are e-ticket enabled.

You can claim for multiple tickets, but the transaction must be less than S$200,000.

Any Singapore Pools ticket More than S$5,000 Visit the main branch (210 Middle Road).

For online ticket purchases, use the app to send a request before you arrive.

Tips on How to Win the Toto Singapore

Tip 1: Play Often

This is the ideal lottery to use the strategy of playing often. When you enter more draws, you increase your chances of being one of the many winners each month.

Also, the tickets are relatively cheap, especially if you opt for the basic bet of picking 6 main numbers. So, you can play often without ruining your budget.

Tip 2: Use System Entries

The lottery caters for those who want to boost their odds, all thanks to the System Entries. You have a variety of options to choose from, so you can customize it to your available cash flow.

Here’s an example of bet types you can try:

How many numbers you pick Minimum bet amount
7 S$7
8 S$28
9 S$84
10 S$210
11 S$462
12 S$924

Tip 3: Wait for Cascade Draws

When there are cascade draws, you don’t even have to guess the six main numbers correctly to win substantially. Thanks to the jackpot prize money being allocated to lower tiers, you may get a bigger prize than usual!

Tip 4: Try Popular Strategies

Many tried and tested strategies of the lottery world are also worth trying out with Toto Singapore. Here are some to consider:

  • Pick 3, Pick 4 or Pick 5 lottery systems that help you compile a set of numbers that could have a better chance of winning you money.
  • Use lucky numbers, such as those associated with your birthday or lucky number 7.
  • Be part of a syndicate. You can create one with family and friends, or use existing ones on online lottery agents’ platforms.

Toto Singapore strategies

Credit: TheLotter

  • Stick to the same set of numbers for each draw, until they’re the winning sequence.

Learn to use software that help pick numbers more likely to be drawn.

Tip 5: Try Your Hand at iTOTO

Another way Singapore Pools helps players get more out of the game is by the integration of the iTOTO system.

Here you’ll pay less for your entry, because you’re only paying for a unit of a System 12 Entry. A single unit represents 1/28 of the usual system entry and will cost you S$33. You can buy more than one unit of a ticket if you wish to.

If you do win, you’ll be eligible for a part of the prize, calculated according to how many units you purchased of that ticket.

Final Thoughts

It’s clear that the organizers of Singapore Toto want players to enjoy and win big. With System Entries and cascading jackpots, there are big prizes waiting to be won. And you have two chances this week to take part and maybe become one of Singapore’s big jackpot stories?

Pick your numbers from 1 to 49 and see how lucky you get.

FAQs

What does it cost to play Toto Singapore?

The minimum amount Singapore players can bet per ticket is S$1. If you use system entries you’ll pay more.

Also, when using lottery agents, take note of a higher price per bet, since service fees will apply.

What time is the Toto Singapore draws?

Normal draws take place at 6:30 pm, on Mondays and Thursdays. However, if the prize money cascades because of no winner in tier 1 for four consecutive draws, the draw will only take place at 9:30 pm.

What was the biggest ever Singapore Toto jackpot prize?

The Singapore Toto lottery has had multiple winners who won a jackpot, or part of a jackpot, that grew to well over S$10 million. In February 2022 the jackpot prize amount grew to S$19,416,913.

How many numbers do you need to win Toto?

If you match just three of the six regular numbers, you can win a prize in the Singapore Toto lottery. To win the big jackpot prize, you must match all 6 original numbers. Additional numbers won’t count towards the main prize win.

What is iTOTO?

iTOTO allows you to purchase a part (unit) of a system entry ticket. It costs S$33 per unit and each unit represents one 1/28th of a ticket. Based on how many units you purchase, you’ll be able to claim that number of parts of the prize, if your number sequence wins.

How long do I have to claim my Singapore Toto winnings?

Your Singapore Toto ticket will be valid for 6 months (180 days) after the draw. You must claim before the 180 days are up or you’ll lose your prize money.