As-of date: Mar 2026 (Singapore). Disclaimer: This post is for personal reflection and budgeting motivation only. I do not advocate buying 4D or any form of gambling.
I Stopped Buying 4D After 25 Years (Even After Winning)
I’ve struck 4D before. The biggest single win in my life was about SGD 100,000. Across my whole history, I estimate I’ve won about SGD 150,000 total.
Some people hear that and think, “Wah, then it works.”
But here’s the truth. I’ve been gambling for about 25 years. I’m not proud of the habit. I’m proud that I stopped.
I’m writing this because people assume you only quit if you never win. That’s not accurate. Sometimes you quit because you learn how a big win can trap your brain into chasing the same feeling again and again.
My turning point was simple. I finally counted the real cost: money, time, mental energy, and the example I’m setting for my kids. Even with one big win, the habit was not making my life better. It was quietly draining it.
Below are the top 5 reasons I stopped buying 4D, and why I believe it’s one of the cleanest ways to save money and regain peace of mind.
My 4D Spending Reality (The “Small” Habit That Adds Up)
My routine was very typical:
- 3 draws per week
- About SGD 80 per draw
That means:
- SGD 240 per week (3 × 80)
- SGD 12,480 per year (240 × 52)
- SGD 312,000 over 25 years (12,480 × 25)
And that’s a conservative estimate. It does not include extra bets, special draws, emotional top-ups after near-misses, or the times I increased stake because I felt “close.”
When I place these numbers beside my lifetime wins (around SGD 150,000), the conclusion is painful but clear.
The habit cost me far more than it gave back.
So yes, I had a big win once. Over the long run, the math still beat me.
Reason 1: The Math Never Becomes “In My Favor”
This is the foundation of quitting. Lotteries are designed so the average player loses over time. That’s how the product survives.
A big win can feel like proof that you’re “good at it,” but 4D is not a skill game. It’s probability.
My own life is the evidence. I gambled for 25 years. I struck SGD 100k once. Total wins maybe SGD 150k. Estimated spending was much higher, even before you count stress and time.
When a habit’s best defense is “maybe one day I’ll hit again,” it’s not a plan. It’s a hope loop.
Quitting was my way of saying: I’m done paying for hope that usually doesn’t pay me back.
Reason 2: It Steals Attention (And Attention Is Expensive)
The money loss is obvious. The hidden cost is attention.
4D doesn’t only take SGD 80 from your pocket. It takes mental space:
- thinking what numbers to buy
- remembering what you already bought
- checking results
- replaying “almost” outcomes
- planning the next bet
- scrolling “number patterns” content
Because there are three draws a week, it becomes a repeating cycle. Even on days I didn’t buy, my brain still circled the topic like it mattered.
That time could have gone to something that compounds: health, learning, work, relationships, a side project, reading, or simply resting.
I realized I didn’t just want to save money. I wanted my mind back.
Reason 3: It’s Not the Example I Want My Kids to Learn
This one hit me hard. Kids learn more from what we repeat than what we preach.
Even if I never said “gambling is good,” the routine teaches something:
- money can come from luck instead of work
- when life feels tough, we escape into a chance fantasy
- spending is okay if there’s a small chance of a big payout
Kids also learn emotional patterns: how we handle boredom, stress, frustration, disappointment, and desire.
I don’t want my kids to grow up thinking, “When things are tight, just try your luck.” I want them to think, “When things are tight, we adjust, we plan, we build.”
Quitting became a values decision, not just a budgeting decision.
Reason 4: It Creates an Emotional Roller Coaster
Many gamblers tell themselves, “I’m fine. I’m not addicted. I can stop anytime.” I told myself that too.
But the emotional pattern is always there:
- Before buying: hope, excitement, fantasy of the payout
- After buying: anticipation, checking, waiting
- After losing: irritation, disappointment, “so close” thinking
- Before next draw: temptation to try again or adjust numbers
Even when the stake is “only SGD 80,” the emotional energy is not small. It adds noise to your life.
And the scariest part is that a big win does not cure it. A big win can intensify it. You start believing you can hit again. You start trusting your “method.” You start chasing the same high.
I’m not ashamed that I won before. I’m cautious because I know how winning can trap you.
Reason 5: The Opportunity Cost Is Massive (Quitting Is an Instant Raise)
When I quit, I didn’t need a promotion or a side hustle to feel richer. I just stopped the leak.
If I used to spend about SGD 12,480 per year, quitting is like giving myself a tax-free pay raise.
It becomes even clearer when you project forward:
- 5 years without 4D: about SGD 62,400 saved
- 10 years without 4D: about SGD 124,800 saved
That is real money. Money that can reduce debt, build an emergency fund, support family needs, invest steadily, or simply remove stress from daily life.
And unlike lottery winnings, this return is guaranteed. If you don’t spend it, you keep it.
Quitting also improves my focus. Instead of thinking about numbers, I think about skills. Instead of betting on luck, I bet on consistency.
What I Tell Myself Now (So I Don’t Go Back)
When the urge comes back, I keep a few reminders ready:
- One win doesn’t change a lifetime habit.
- If it was a real edge, I wouldn’t need 25 years of trying.
- My job is not to chase luck. My job is to build stability.
- My kids learn from what I repeat.
- Peace is worth more than the fantasy.
I’m not writing this to judge anyone. I’m writing it because I know how normal this habit can feel in Singapore. It’s easy to say, “Just a small bet.” But small bets repeated for years become big money and big time.
For me, the decision is final. I don’t advocate buying 4D, even though I struck before. I stopped because my life is better without it, financially and mentally, and as a father.
Quitting gambling is not losing. It’s choosing a different way to win.
If you’re also trying to stop, start simple. Remove the habit from your weekly routine, track the savings, and replace the time with something that actually compounds.
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