A heartwarming story has emerged from Singapore as a 70-year-old man, surnamed Wu, found a lottery ticket worth $10,000 while travelling on bus service 925. Instead of pocketing the prize, he chose to do the right thing by handing it over to the police, hoping the rightful owner would come forward to claim it.
Finding the Ticket
On 31 December 2023, Wu noticed three discarded 4D tickets on a seat during his commute towards Marsiling MRT station. One of these tickets bore the winning number 6777 from the draw on 29 December. “I also buy 4D, so I’d pay special attention to the numbers drawn,” Wu told Shin Min Daily News. “I remembered the first prize number of the day, that was how I realised the ticket had won a prize,” he explained.
Returning the Prize
Unable to identify the owner as multiple passengers alighted the bus at once, Wu decided to act responsibly. On 1 January 2024, he submitted the winning ticket to the police at a lost property drop box in Toa Payoh. Additionally, he filed a report at the Yew Tee police station on 3 January, suspecting the owner might live in the Marsiling area.
- Wu also returned two other tickets found with the winning one.
- He expressed hope that the owner would retrieve the ticket and enjoy a prosperous new year.
Understanding the Law
Wu’s act of kindness is commendable, especially since under Section 403 of the Penal Code, keeping someone else’s lottery ticket and claiming the prize for oneself is considered a serious offence, carrying penalties including fines and jail time.
Wu’s Past Wins
Interestingly, Wu is no stranger to luck himself; he won a first prize of over $20,000 in 2021 after years of placing bets on 4D. He mentioned, “I know how difficult it is to win the first prize, so I hope to return the money to the owner.”