Taiwanese gamblers bet on when terminally ill cancer patients will die

Families of terminally ill patients are making bets to predict the date their relatives will die. The punters are wagering on a macabre game which has sprung up in Taiwan. Senior citizens' clubs have set up more than 10 gaming houses in Taizhong City as the bizarre trend has taken off.

Gamblers - including cancer patients' family members and even the doctors - have lodged NT$100m (£2.1m, $3.4m) with bookies. It is reported that those who want to take part in the game have to pay a membership fee of NT$2,000 (£43, $69) to the bookies.



The bookies then visit hospitals to seek permission from the patients' family. Then they take the punters to the hospital on their next visit to observe the patients.

According to the rules, the bookies win if the cancer patients die within a month. However, if they die between one and six months after the bets were placed, the gamblers would be paid thre times their wager. Reports said police were investigating the gaming houses.