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It's a major national event for Hong Kong, like the guy winning a $1B national lottery. The winner will be shown on TV and newspapers, a random citizen who acci

It's a major national event for Hong Kong, like the guy winning a $1B national lottery. The winner will be shown on TV and newspapers, a random citizen who accidentally hits the jackpot and got lifted to being a king. Except in that case, it's some foreign math computer nerds, who have already profited billions. Billions of dollars taken off the cumulative bets of Hong Kong citizens. It's not acceptable socially or politically. The guy was already cashing hundreds of millions anyway, leaving a few millions on the table doesn't make a difference to him. Better stay anonymous and safe.

woutr_be 5y ago
> The winner will be shown on TV and newspapers, a random citizen who accidentally hits the jackpot and got lifted to being a king. I’m not aware of this happening in HK. Mark six (lottery) winners are not shown on TV or in newspapers. Winners are announced, yes, but it doesn’t include their identities. I’m not sure about the process when you win millions of dollars, but you can buy tickets at the track, which are anonymous, and you just cash them in later. Of course, my experience is only winning a few $100s. > It's not acceptable socially or politically. Socially, I more expect it to be the other way around. Other gamblers will probably applaud them for finally doing the impossible. This was also in 2001, nobody would even consider this to be politically unacceptable. Even now, that wouldn’t be the case.
- _carbyau_ 5y ago
  "Other gamblers will probably applaud them for finally doing the impossible." I suspect not. Some people have the idea that "luck" is intrinsic to yourself, that it is somehow a measure of your own worth, like karmic rewards. This view seems prevalent in China. Thus systematically beating the odds will seem like cheating. edit:brevity, sticking to the point.
  - woutr_be 5y ago
    This is Hong Kong in 2001, quite different from China. Horse racing is also taken very serious in HK, so when you’re able to beat the odds, it wouldn’t be seen as luck, but rather all your hard work finally paying off.

woutr_be 5y ago

> The winner will be shown on TV and newspapers, a random citizen who accidentally hits the jackpot and got lifted to being a king. I’m not aware of this happening in HK. Mark six (lottery) winners are not shown on TV or in newspapers. Winners are announced, yes, but it doesn’t include their identities. I’m not sure about the process when you win millions of dollars, but you can buy tickets at the track, which are anonymous, and you just cash them in later. Of course, my experience is only winning a few $100s. > It's not acceptable socially or politically. Socially, I more expect it to be the other way around. Other gamblers will probably applaud them for finally doing the impossible. This was also in 2001, nobody would even consider this to be politically unacceptable. Even now, that wouldn’t be the case.

_carbyau_ 5y ago
"Other gamblers will probably applaud them for finally doing the impossible." I suspect not. Some people have the idea that "luck" is intrinsic to yourself, that it is somehow a measure of your own worth, like karmic rewards. This view seems prevalent in China. Thus systematically beating the odds will seem like cheating. edit:brevity, sticking to the point.
- woutr_be 5y ago
  This is Hong Kong in 2001, quite different from China. Horse racing is also taken very serious in HK, so when you’re able to beat the odds, it wouldn’t be seen as luck, but rather all your hard work finally paying off.