Jueteng
Encyclopedia
Jueteng is an illegal numbers game
played in the Philippines
. Jueteng originated from China
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.
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.
, who was eventually found guilty of plunder on 12 September 2007 after receiving millions in illegal payoffs, including from gambling profits. Another political scandal erupted in June 2005 involving allegations that relatives of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
received payouts from jueteng operators.On 2010, some politicians, such as the now Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
and Senator Jinggoy Estrada however, proposed that the jueteng must be legalized and taxed so that its profits will go to the government. The newly-installed administration of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino, III rejected the proposal to legalize jueteng
and instead, he directed the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National
Police to formulate a comprehensive plan to combat and to end the operations of jueteng in the Philippines.
Numbers game
Numbers game, also known as a numbers racket, policy racket or Italian lottery, is an illegal lottery played mostly in poor neighborhoods in the United States, wherein a bettor attempts to pick three digits to match those that will be randomly drawn the following day...
played in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Jueteng originated from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
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
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 two sets of 37 numbered balls. Thus the theoretical odds of winning on any one play are one in 37 X 37 or 1/1369 with payout of 1:800. This is unlike the numbers gameNumbers game
Numbers game, also known as a numbers racket, policy racket or Italian lottery, is an illegal lottery played mostly in poor neighborhoods in the United States, wherein a bettor attempts to pick three digits to match those that will be randomly drawn the following day...
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.
Small Town Lottery
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.Scandals
Jueteng was brought to notoriety in 2000 during the impeachment proceedings of deposed Philippine President Joseph EstradaJoseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
, who was eventually found guilty of plunder on 12 September 2007 after receiving millions in illegal payoffs, including from gambling profits. Another political scandal erupted in June 2005 involving allegations that relatives of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
received payouts from jueteng operators.On 2010, some politicians, such as the now Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile is a Filipino politician. As a protege of President Ferdinand Marcos, he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power...
and Senator Jinggoy Estrada however, proposed that the jueteng must be legalized and taxed so that its profits will go to the government. The newly-installed administration of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino, III rejected the proposal to legalize jueteng
and instead, he directed the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National
Police to formulate a comprehensive plan to combat and to end the operations of jueteng in the Philippines.