A lottery is a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries while others endorse them and regulate them to some degree. In the United States, for example, state and federal law prohibit the sale of lottery tickets to minors and require vendors to be licensed. Many online lotteries are legal in the United States and offer players the opportunity to purchase a ticket online. Some offer a lump sum payment while others award winners an annuity.
Historically, lottery games were used to raise money for public purposes. For example, Benjamin Franklin’s 1769 “Piece of Eight” lottery raised funds for the defense of Philadelphia. Other public lotteries in the 17th and 18th centuries offered prizes such as land and slaves. Today, the lottery is a popular source of entertainment and raises billions each year for public goods.
In Thailand, the official national lottery is run by the Government Lottery Office (GLO) and is held every first and sixteenth of the month. It is one of the two forms of legalised gambling in the country, along with horse racing in Bangkok. The lottery has a wide appeal among Thais, including those who have no interest in winning the grand prize. Even if they are unlikely to become rich, the flutter of a few numbers is enough to make people feel that they’re not just wasting their money.
The lottery in Thailand has a long history and is a well-regulated business. The GLO sells tickets through online and retail channels. It also oversees the distribution of the prize money. Its revenue is a major contributor to the country’s budget. The lottery’s influence goes beyond financial benefits, however. Its existence encourages a sense of hope and optimism and provides a powerful source of social capital.
Thai lottery prizes are determined by a drawing that takes place at the GLO headquarters in Nonthaburi, and prizes are awarded to those who match six digits in the correct order. A second draw is conducted to determine the final winner. The minimum prize is 10,000 baht. There are 10 prizes for the third prize, and the fourth and fifth prizes are 40,000 baht and 100,000 baht respectively. Previously, there were also bonus prizes of 22 million and 30 million baht, but these were eliminated by the military government on 1 August 2015.
The winning numbers are announced live during the drawing at the GLO head office in Nonthaburi. The lottery results are also published on the GLO website. Lottery winners have two years from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. Prizes lower than 20,000 baht can be cashed out at any authorized retail venue. Larger prizes must be claimed at the GLO head office in Nonthaburi. Some winners choose to hire an attorney to set up a blind trust for them, which allows them to avoid the public attention that comes with winning a large jackpot and reduce their tax liability.
