The Thai lottery is the official government-run lottery in Thailand, drawing winners twice a month. It is one of only two forms of legal gambling in the country, and it is a hugely popular pastime for millions of Thais. In fact, more than 19 million people play the lottery every month! The lottery is regulated by the GLO (Government Lottery Office).
The most common way to win the jackpot is to match six of the winning numbers. This requires matching all six digits of the winning number in the correct order. There are also smaller prizes available for matching fewer numbers, and the odds of winning the top prize are one in a million.
Gambling is widely considered to be a national sport in Thailand, with many Thais spending more time and money on the game than they do on religion. In addition to the ubiquitous thai lottery, other popular forms of gambling in the country include soccer betting and horse racing. The former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, expanded the country’s legal gambling opportunities by introducing two- and three-digit lotteries.
When it comes to selecting lottery numbers, there are many superstitions associated with the process. For example, some Thais will only choose lucky numbers that have a meaning in their lives. Others will take a more spiritual approach, visiting temples or shrines to pray for good luck and seeking omens to guide their choice of numbers. Whether they are looking for the date of a deceased monk’s death, the number of spots on the tail of a snake or even the number of rats in an old house, Thais are always searching for clues to help them select their numbers.
Lottery tickets are sold by a network of 14,760 registered retail vendors throughout the country. The GLO prints the lottery tickets and sells them to wholesalers, also known as brokers, who distribute them to the retail vendors. Before a crackdown on high mark-ups, some vendors would offer ‘lucky’ numbers for outrageous prices, effectively robbing lottery players of their hard-earned cash.
The thai lotto ticket is made of special paper and features a watermark of the mythical Wayupak bird, as well as a two-tone security thread that will become visible under ultraviolet light. Moreover, the ticket has a unique serial number that is registered with the GLO and can be verified by using a smartphone app or by calling the GLO Department of Prize Payments at 02-528-96-21. Winning ticket holders are required to present a valid ID card or passport to claim their prize.
The GLO website offers detailed information about how to purchase thai lotto tickets and how to claim your prize. The site is a great resource for anyone who is interested in learning more about the game or simply wants to check the results of past draws. You can also find information about lottery prizes, including how much you stand to win if you happen to be a lucky winner.
