Woman Finds Winning Lottery Ticket Worth $10,000, Hands It Over to Police in Search of Owner
(Singapore, 11th) A kind-hearted woman discovered a winning lottery ticket worth $10,000 (approximately RM33,000) and promptly handed it over to the police in hopes of finding the rightful owner.
63-year-old hawker Chen Yiming found the ticket after attending a dragon and lion dance performance at Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple on February 3rd. As the crowd dispersed, she spotted a discarded lottery ticket on the ground and picked it up out of curiosity. To her surprise, she realized that one of the tickets had been purchased for the February 8th and 9th draws and had not yet been checked for results.
“I occasionally buy 4D myself, so I recognized the number 3388, which had recently won first prize. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the ticket was still valid, so I decided to keep an eye on the results,” she said.
Based on the ticket photo she provided, the owner had placed a $2 big bet and a $2 small bet on the number 3388. Lottery records confirmed that the number won first prize on February 9th, securing a $10,000 prize.
Since Chen did not know who the owner was, she took the ticket home and waited for the results to be announced. Once she confirmed it was a winning ticket, she filed a report at Sengkang Police Station on February 10th and turned in the ticket, hoping the rightful owner would come forward.
No Temptation to Claim the Prize
When asked whether she had considered keeping the winnings, Chen firmly stated that the money did not belong to her, and she had no intention of taking what wasn’t hers.
“If it’s mine, it’s mine. If it’s not, I don’t want it,” she said.
Under Singaporean law, keeping lost lottery tickets and attempting to claim winnings unlawfully could be considered fraud. Those convicted could face imprisonment, with sentences depending on factors such as prior criminal records and the amount involved. The maximum penalty is 10 years in jail.
A History of Honesty
This isn’t the first time Chen has demonstrated her honesty. She has previously found lost wallets containing cash and credit cards twice—one of which she handed over to the police, while in another instance, she personally contacted the owner, a taxi driver, so he could retrieve it.
Chen runs a stall selling organic dried goods at Jing Shan Market in Ang Mo Kio. She occasionally buys lottery tickets but usually places small $1 bets. Two years ago, she won a first prize herself, taking home more than $2,000.
“Since I’ve won before, I understand how rare it is to hit the jackpot. That’s why I hope to return this ticket to its rightful owner as soon as possible.”
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