- Jueteng
"Jueteng" (pronounced "hwe-teng") is an illegal
numbers game played in thePhilippines . "Jueteng" originated fromChina and means "flower" ("jue") and "bet" ("teng"). Although illegal, it is a widely popular game with participation that crosses most, if not all social and economic boundaries, played by rich and poor alike. With long odds and no limits on minimum or maximum bets, the lure of quick riches through a lucrative payout is by far its strongest appeal.The game relies heavily on having a large number of wagers, and there is no limit to the amount of the bet(s). Usually the gambler selects two numbers from 1 through 37, and the winning number is determined by selecting a pair of numbers from a set of 37 numbered balls. Thus the theoretical odds of winning on any one play are one in 37C2, or 1/666. This is unlike the
numbers game s in the U.S. during the early part of the 20th century, where the last digit of the winning pay out or the number of the winning horse for three consecutive races determined the winning combination.Although much has been done to curtail or eradicate this form of unregulated gambling by government and community leaders, it appears that such efforts have fallen by the wayside due to its vast popularity, and the poverty which cripples the country. Ironically, in the 80s, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) once sanctioned and operated a similar game, called "Small Town Lottery," which spawned the popularity of the game, even if it was discontinued.
candals
"Jueteng" was brought to notoriety in
2000 during the impeachment proceedings of deposed Philippine PresidentJoseph Estrada , who was eventually found guilty ofplunder on 12 September 2007 after receiving millions in illegal payoffs, including from gambling profits. Another political scandal erupted inJune 2005 involving allegations that relatives ofGloria Macapagal-Arroyo received payouts from "jueteng" operators.Noted "Jueteng" lords/operators
*
Arman Sanchez (Former Batangas governor who is also a known drug lord andonline sports betting protector)
*Rodolfo "Bong" Pineda (Presidential "compadre")
*Rosario "Charing" Magbuhos ("Jueteng" operator fromQuezon province )
*Luis "Chavit" Singson (FormerIlocos Sur governor and 2007 senatorial candidate)
*Joseph "Jose Pidal" Estrada (Ex ConvictPhilippines Former President and Gambler)
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.