LIVE 4D match

Last week, I was working at Singapore Pools at Paradiz Centre. My job was to sell the World Cup Pre-paid cards. There, I witnessed something which I was largely bemused by.

At 6pm, a queue began to form up outside the branch. From their faces, they seemed excited. Some were chit-chatting away. Some looked like they were praying. All of them were relishing the idea of a favourable result. Looks like the stakes are high.

At 6.15pm, the doors opened. The horde of people scrambled in. A security guard was distributing pieces of paper for them to write on. Soon, the people were seated down and waiting eagerly for the moment to arrive.

At 6.30pm, the emcee went to 4 containers and poured 10 balls into each of them. It begun. The match kicked off.

All these millionaires wannabes came from 4 corners of the island for this! To watch a bevy of players wrestling and out-muscling one another to emerge the winner of the lot. It's even more nerve-wrecking than watch a real football match.

" Oh, looks like it's Ball 8 racing to the hole. He seems certain to win. Wait, Ball 7 is close behind him. Both of them are fighting with each other. Ball 7 now! NO, it's 8. 7! 8! 7!... "

" Yay!" screamed Ball 8, after it's reached the top of the container.

Then. it's thrown back into the container again.

Do these people have so much lack of trust in the radio deejays or newspaper editors, that they must go down all the way to the drawing lot room to witness the whole process themselves?

" Today's first prize is 5-1-8-...... Shit. The last digit looks like a one but it could be seven too. Oh no, sorry listeners, I have to confirm first."

The percentage attendance there was even better than a regular S-League match. Something similar about a S-League match is those without seats were stationed outside of the room to hear the result announcement from the speakers. To my suprise, the security guard was one of them too, writing every result on the piece of paper.

"You too?" I spouted out.
"Haha, just play for fun lah"

21 numbers were read out, it's now the last leg of the match. Who will be the biggest winner?

"Second prize, 2-5-2-4." One of the audience jumped up excitedly.

Ok, never mind, there's still the top prize.

" First prize, 7-..."
" Damn!" Someone cried from the crowd.
"6-1-0", the emcee finished.

Sighs filled the room. The sound of paper tearing echoed throughout the place. Shortly after, the crowd started to disperse. From their faces, you wouldn't know who lost. They appeared so calm, it could be they are so used to defeats. Most left the place and continued their normal lives, at the same time looking forward to the next weekend.

As the results travelled to the radios and newspapers, more betting slips will be torn. The losers, some will stop the game, some will continue. But for the day's winners, it's no doubt they will play more again.

Note: All the results in this script are fictional. Don't blame me if they don't win.

-doubleU