(Source: Malaysia Site | The Straits Times)
Imagine yourself on a casual weekend escape at Genting Highlands with your family and partner, simply looking to unwind, that is, until fortune decides to surprise you in a way you could never predict. That was the scene for 28-year-old Sherylynn Kok from Singapore.
In April, after a bout of losing streaks and frequent seat-switching at different slot machines, she eventually chose one at random. Within 5 minutes, she triggered a feature game that came with 4 jackpot tiers, mini, minor, major and grand. That random button press led to 3 grand-prize symbols lining up on the payline, briefly lighting up her screen with the thrilling message: she had won the grand prize of RM800,000.
After verifying the jackpot was genuine, she was escorted to the cashier. There, in an instant that felt surreal, she was handed 8 bundles of RM100,000 in RM10,000 notes, all packed into a backpack that she vividly remembered as “crazy heavy”. Unfamiliar with carrying such a hefty sum of cash, she asked for escort assistance back to her hotel room.
The Straits Times reported that Resorts World Genting clarified that Sherylynn was offered a cheque as a payout option but chose to collect in Malaysian ringgit. She wanted to exchange the payout herself for a better rate.
Back on the casino floor, security was fine, but once outside, they made it clear they couldn’t guarantee anything. “They said walking around the casino was fine, but the moment we exit the casino, they cannot guarantee anything won’t happen”, Sherylynn said.
That evening turned into a cautious vigil, with her, her parents and her boyfriend taking turns guarding that backpack in the hotel.
It was the weekend, so banks in Malaysia were closed, making wire transfers impossible. The group also discovered that to send money back to Singapore, they needed a Malaysian bank account which they didn’t have. With flight time looming, they found out at the airport that carrying such a large amount of cash out of Malaysia required approval from Bank Negara. That sent Sherylynn and her boyfriend staying behind to figure it out while her parents flew home empty-handed.
On the very next day, she managed to open a Malaysian bank account with OCBC that offered dual-currency access enabling seamless switches between ringgit and Singapore dollar. Finally the hurdles eased, and the money began to find its way home.
Through it all, Sherylynn remained grounded. She described herself as a disciplined gambler, someone who never plays to chase earnings but for humble weekend pastime value.
“I gamble not because I want to earn money, but because once in a while, there is nothing to do, and I have no plans over the weekend. I am very risk-averse, and I don’t understand complex investment options, so keeping the money in a simple bank account seems safer.”
She admitted friends tempted her to invest or splurge luxuriously, yet she lives a low-maintenance lifestyle and doesn’t grasp complex investment schemes. She’s also seen cautionary tales: a friend’s friend winning SGD$1.4 million from Toto, pouring it into impulsive ventures and luxury, and losing it all within months. She is determined not to be that person.
In her own words, this windfall is not a golden ticket to retirement but a precious gift of time. She reminds herself firmly: SGD200,000 won’t last a lifetime.