Thai lotto is one of two forms of legal gambling in Thailand (the other being horse racing), and draws over 19 million Thais (26% of population) who partake. And the stakes can be high: winning an average lottery ticket can fetch you over 1,000 baht as prize!
An unexpected victory in Thai lotto can change lives forever. For some, winning could mean buying their dream home or paying off debts; others use it to treat themselves or their loved ones with luxury items; but most see it as an opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Thai Lotto (Thailand National Lottery), administered by the Government Lottery Office (GLO), takes place twice every month on the 1st and 16th and is one of only two legal forms of gambling permitted within Thailand.
Nearly anyone can purchase a Thai Lotto ticket, though foreigners are less eligible to win the top prizes due to low odds for winning big jackpots (often millions of baht). As such, many foreigners opt for playing smaller prizes instead.
Thai lotto tickets are printed on special paper designed to prevent fraud, featuring a two-tone watermark with the image of Wayupak birds and silk thread that’s visible under UV light, along with chemical treatments to avoid bleach-soaked tickets becoming discolored by staining. Furthermore, each ticket features its own serial number that’s recorded into an official database to validate winning tickets.
Thais tend to believe in various supernatural forces and superstitions when selecting lottery numbers, including Mae Nak, the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth who is said to help people select appropriate lottery numbers. Her devotees visit shrines dedicated to Mae Nak for guidance in career moves or love life matters and purchasing lottery tickets as part of these spiritual practices.
Common wisdom holds that tragedy brings good luck, which may explain why lottery players often search for license plate numbers from recently crashed vehicles or highways where accidents have taken place, in hopes that finding one with an involved owner might bring good fortune and riches in due time.
Claiming their prize requires that winners bring both their winning ticket and valid identification documents (passport and certificate of residence for foreign winners). GLO will then verify both identity and bank account details before dispersing prize money in cash – first prizes of 20,000 baht or less may be claimed immediately; prizes exceeding this threshold require at least 15 days of waiting before receiving it.
