Lottery in thailand is one of the country’s most popular forms of gambling. It is played by more than 19 million Thais, a full 28.6% of the nation’s population. The national lottery takes place twice a month, on the first and 16th of each month. The government-sanctioned game is overseen by the GLO and offers prizes of up to 30 million baht.
To win the jackpot, players must match all six of their numbers in the correct order. In addition, a two-digit number is drawn to determine the bonus prize winner. The odds of winning are fairly high, compared to the average international lottery. The odds are not fixed and can change from draw to draw. The lottery is a major source of revenue for the country.
The lottery office turns in over four billion baht per year to the government treasury. It also provides scholarships for students, earmarks eight million baht a year for charities, and contributes close to 20 million a year to the welfare fund of civil servants and military personnel. Moreover, the lottery office is a source of employment for tens of thousands of people.
A person who wishes to purchase a ticket must visit a licensed retail venue or the main GLO office in Nonthaburi. The winnings can be cashed out at these outlets, or the winners may choose to receive a cheque from the GLO. In addition, the winners must claim their prize within two years of the drawing date. If they fail to do so, the prize will be remitted as state revenue.
The Lottery is the only legal form of gambling in Thailand. While some people gamble illegally, most play the official lottery. In fact, the country’s underground lottery business is worth more than five times the size of the official lottery. The lottery industry is also dominated by organized crime syndicates that control large numbers of retail venues and sell fake tickets to unsuspecting consumers.
The Thai lottery is run by the GLO (Government Lottery Office). In addition to selling tickets, they also organize the actual draws. These are televised and take place on the first and the 16th of each month. The last two-digit number determines the bonus prize winner, while the first five digits determine the first prize winner. The GLO also sells discounted lottery tickets for the elderly and disabled.
