Thai lottery is the official national lottery and is administered by the Government Lottery Office (GLO). It’s one of only two forms of legal gambling allowed in Thailand. The lottery is incredibly popular — nearly 19.2 million people play each year and spend over 76 billion baht on tickets. And while the chances of winning the lottery are slim, it’s a fun way to try your luck.
The GLO is a state-run entity and has a very strict legislative framework that determines how the lottery operates, how prizes are paid out, and what percentage of ticket sales will go to support national causes. So despite the rumors that it’s a scam, it is not.
Moreover, the GLO also employs a full team of experts who monitor lottery operations to make sure that there are no irregularities or malpractices. These professionals will be able to quickly spot any problem and take the necessary action to ensure fair play. This will keep the GLO’s reputation in good standing and will allow it to continue growing its revenue stream.
As with most states, the GLO’s primary revenue source comes from ticket sales. The agency charges a small commission on each ticket, but it’s still a significant source of income for the government. In addition, the GLO provides a wide range of other services to support the lottery’s mission and its beneficiaries. These include:
There are currently three ways to purchase lottery tickets in Thailand: online, by telephone, or at physical retail venues. The online option is the easiest, and is available in both English and Thai. The phone option is a bit more complicated, as you need to call a specific number before purchasing a ticket. This can be frustrating for some foreigners who don’t speak the language.
The online and phone options are not available to international players, but the GLO is working on expanding its service offerings to include the sale of digital tickets to overseas gamblers. If this is successful, it will be a major boon for the lottery industry in Thailand and increase the number of international punters who are able to participate.
In order to purchase a digital ticket, you must have a smartphone with a web browser and an internet connection. The Paotang mobile application will then guide you through the process of selecting your numbers and buying a ticket pair. Alternatively, you can buy tickets at GLO-authorized retail venues. Each ticket pair is priced at 80 baht. The GLO has set the price for digital tickets at this level in a bid to keep street prices down, which are often inflated as buyers dream of huge first prize wins. The GLO has also stopped selling tickets directly to vendors in an effort to control ticket pricing. However, many vendors are still selling the tickets at a premium. This has led to a backlash against the GLO from some quarters. The GLO has responded by launching an investigation into the matter.
