Scene: Late evening at a kopi tiam in Tampines, Singapore.
Ravi: Bro, I’m telling you, it’s real. Some hardcore gamblers keep toyol — little spirit helpers. They use black magic to win money. My uncle’s friend saw it with his own eyes.
Daniel: (laughs) Your “uncle’s friend” again? That guy has more paranormal encounters than Netflix.
Ravi: I’m serious! You know Ah Seng from the casino? Every time he plays baccarat, he wins big. And nobody dares tap his shoulder. They say if you disturb him, you’ll extinguish the protective flames from his toyol and he’ll lose.
Daniel: Protective flames? What is this, Pokémon evolution stage three?
Ravi: Eh, don’t joke. In Malay folklore, toyol are spirit children that bring wealth. People keep them in jars. They feed them milk or sweets. It’s not a joke to some people.
Daniel: I know the folklore. But folklore isn’t proof. If toyol guaranteed winning, don’t you think every gambler in Marina Bay Sands would have one?
Ravi: Maybe they do! You think those high rollers are just lucky?
Daniel: Yes. Lucky — and statistically expected. In gambling, someone has to win sometimes. Casinos are built on probability. Over time, the house always wins. That’s math, not magic.
Ravi: Then how you explain Ah Seng winning five nights in a row?
Daniel: Confirmation bias. You only remember the winning streak. You don’t count the weeks he lost quietly. Humans are terrible at tracking randomness.
Ravi: But my uncle said once someone tapped Ah Seng’s shoulder and suddenly he lost three hands straight.
Daniel: That’s called coincidence. In baccarat, each hand is independent. The cards don’t remember shoulder taps.
Ravi: You sound like my statistics lecturer.
Daniel: Good. Because probability explains this better than spirits. Let’s say Ah Seng plays 100 hands. Even with a small house edge, there will be streaks. Winning five times in a row isn’t supernatural — it’s expected occasionally.
Ravi: But people say toyol can whisper which side to bet on.
Daniel: If spirits could predict card outcomes, casinos would shut down. Surveillance, card control, shuffling machines — everything is monitored. The system is designed to eliminate manipulation.
Ravi: Unless the spirit is invisible.
Daniel: (smiling) If invisible spirits can alter random number generators, we’d have bigger scientific breakthroughs than casino jackpots.
Ravi: Okay, okay, Mr. Scientist. But why so many cultures believe in spirit helpers for wealth? Cannot be coincidence also, right?
Daniel: It’s psychology. When money is involved, especially uncertain money like gambling, people look for control. Superstitions give comfort. It’s like wearing lucky socks during exams.
Ravi: Eh, my lucky socks helped me pass O-Levels.
Daniel: No, your studying helped you pass. The socks just reduced your anxiety.
Ravi: Hmmm.
Daniel: Think about it. If toyol really worked, why would anyone stay middle-class? Why not just print money at the casino?
Ravi: Maybe the spirits get angry if too greedy.
Daniel: Convenient rule.
Ravi: You always have explanation for everything.
Daniel: Not everything. But for gambling outcomes? Definitely probability. The house edge in baccarat is about 1% or so. That means over time, players lose. If Ah Seng keeps playing, statistics will catch up.
Ravi: So you’re saying no black magic at all?
Daniel: I’m saying there’s zero credible evidence. No verified case, no measurable phenomenon. Just stories passed around coffee shops.
Ravi: But stories can’t all be fake.
Daniel: Not fake — just human. People exaggerate wins, hide losses, and love dramatic explanations. “He’s lucky” is boring. “He keeps a spirit child in a jar” is exciting.
Ravi: (laughs) When you put it that way…
Daniel: Look, I respect culture. Toyol is part of regional folklore. But using it to explain casino math? That’s stretching it.
Ravi: So if I bring a toyol to Resorts World Sentosa, you think nothing will happen?
Daniel: I think security will escort you out before any spirit does.
Ravi: Wah, brutal.
Daniel: Here’s a challenge. Next time we go, track every bet. Write it down. No spirits, no shoulder rules. Just numbers. After 200 rounds, we calculate.
Ravi: And if I win?
Daniel: Then you buy supper. If you lose, you admit probability wins over toyol.
Ravi: You really want to kill my ghost story, huh?
Daniel: Not kill. Just replace fear with understanding.
Ravi: You know what… maybe the real spirit helper is just confidence.
Daniel: Exactly. Confidence changes behaviour, not card order.
Ravi: Fine lah. But just in case, don’t tap my shoulder when I’m betting.
Daniel: (grinning) That one I respect — for psychological reasons, not supernatural flames.
Ravi: Deal. But if I strike jackpot, I’m naming my toyol after you.
Daniel: Please don’t. I prefer being associated with data, not jars of invisible children.
(Both laugh as they finish their kopi.)
Science Vs Superstition 
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