A lottery is a popular form of gambling in Thailand and around the world. It is also a significant revenue generator for organizers, a source of entertainment, and a potential economic stimulator. Winners, flush with their windfall, might inject some of it back into the local economy, while just the anticipation of winning can shift consumer behavior.
The Thai lottery is a national game operated by the government and drawn twice a month. It is one of only two forms of legalized gambling in Thailand. It is a paper-based game, and while many countries have developed electronic lotteries, the Thai lottery continues to use traditional methods.
Tickets are available at GLO offices and some convenience stores. They are pre-printed with anti-counterfeiting features and are sold in ticket pairs. They include a schedule of prizes and ancillary information. The winning numbers are announced after the draws at the Lottery Observation Room. The first prize bonus number and other special prize numbers are also announced. Each ticket pair costs 80 baht.
In addition to announcing the winning numbers, the draw chairman randomly selects a colored ball to determine the order of the lesser prizes (yellow for 2nd prize, pink for 3rd prize, green for 4th prize, and blue for 5th prize). A six-digit number is drawn for the first prize. The draw chairman also draws a two-digit number for the bonus prize of 30 million baht.
For some, choosing the right lottery numbers is as easy as picking a favorite color or a lucky name. Others may be guided by omens in their daily lives or the events that have unfolded before them. A superstitious people, Thais have long found ways to pick the right numbers and to increase their chances of winning the lottery.
Creepy dreams and nightmares are often seen as omens of upcoming lottery numbers. A woman once won a huge sum after her 1-year-old nephew told her to get the numbers 3 and 1. Another way to find lottery numbers is to watch animals. It is believed that if an animal acts in an unusual way, it can be a clue for the upcoming numbers.
To claim a prize, winners must present their ticket/s, an ID card, or a passport (for foreigners). Prize money cannot be claimed through banks. Those who won the two-digit and three-digit prizes can claim them from the shop where they bought their tickets, or at their provincial CGD offices. Those who win the first-prize bonus prize and other special prize numbers must present themselves at the Lottery Observation Room in person. A 1% tax is deducted from the prize money for government lottery winnings. The tax for charitable lottery winnings is 2%. For both types of winnings, the winner must be a citizen of Thailand and at least 20 years old. Prizes are not available for sale outside of the country.
