While we are on the topic of gambling in Jamaica, I could not resist elaborating on the game of chance, Cashpot. Cashpot is a form of lotto where only one number is drawn. It is played three times a day, Monday to Saturday and has literally taken over Jamaica. Those of you who live here, known exactly what I mean. A lot of our people, especially the working class, eat, sleep and dream Cashpot. It’s the first thing they think about in the mornings and the last at nights.

First of all there are rakes. Everything that happens to you or those around you is a rake. For instance you are driving to work and several dogs run in front of your car, that’s a rake, you ‘haffi’ buy number 11 for dog. Or you walking on the street and a man call to you, that is another rake. In that instance the number depends on whether the man was a black man, a white man, a Chinese man or a police man. They each have a different number. As I said before, it doesn’t have to happen to you. If a family member or a friend should buck their toe or knock their heads, that’s also a rake. In the instance of the foot, make sure to find out if it was the left or right foot, as they represent two different numbers.

The next sure things are dreams. There is a number attached to almost anything and everything. You have to be careful how you talk about your dreams as any Cashpot enthusiasts within earshot is sure to run out and buy the associated number. What puzzles me is the reasoning process in deciphering dreams. How I see it, there are numerous numbers that could be derived from any one dream. For instance a dream in which you go shopping. The number could be the item(s) bought, or where they were purchased, or what you were wearing. So which number do you buy?

‘Follow on’ is the next sure thing. This one is hard to explain but I will try. Basically it depends on the last number drawn. Example if the number was 23 representing black man, the next number could be 16, young girl. Why? Because black man love young girl. Never mind that each number represents several things. It never fails to amuse me to hear, “A shouda did know sey a that di a come”.

The final qualifier for Cashpot numbers is that the number could ‘whappi back”. That one is easy; it means that the last number is repeated. Although some might find all this very amusing the truth is that it’s gospel to many others. Some keep records of Cashpot numbers and religiously purchase daily. Some will go as far as to tell you that many days Cashpot “gi dem a food”. So, is it right or wrong, it’s not for me to judge. The fact is that many have come to depend on it.

Nuff Love