Toppen is one of four members in Svenska Spel's Oddset family, which it joined in 1986. The object of the game is usually to guess the winner in a sports event. The event can be either long term, such as guessing the winning team in a league, or short term, such as guessing the winner of a Formula One race. The range of events one can bet on is huge, just about every large sports competition is featured. But one can bet on other things than sports on Toppen. For example, it is possible to bet on the Eurovision Song Contest.
As each alternative when betting on Toppen corresponds to a number, the numbers can be tied to just about anything. For example, in football matches it is usually possible to bet on which player will make the first/last goal of the match. Some of the more complicated methods of play on Toppen include guessing the winners in a series of games (where each possible combination of winners corresponds to a number) or if the number of goals made in a series of games will be above or below a certain number (again with each possible combination corresponding to a
number).
The bet is chosen freely by the player, but it must be between 10 and 500 SEK. The odds are based on the players' bets and are thus constantly changing. The final odds are available first after the game in question is closed, usually five minutes before the game/match/whatever starts. To calculate the amount won, one simply multiplies the bet with the odds for the winning alternative. Even though 70% percent of the bets are paid back as wins, the odds are quite low. The highest odds ever were 230.03 times the bet when Peter Göransson won Vasaloppet.
The sum of all bets made in 2000 was 15.9 million SEK. With 34,860 wins the same year, the average win was 319.28 SEK.
In order to be allowed to bet on Toppen, one has to be at least eighteen years old.
Sources:
http://www.svenskaspel.se
Various brochures from Svenska Spel
Things I've picked up along the way...