Thai lotto is one of the two forms of legal gambling in Thailand (the other being horse racing). It takes place twice a month, on the first and sixteenth, and is played by over 19 million Thais; a whopping 28.6% of the country’s population.
The lottery, with its promise of sudden wealth, unites people in a shared dream and fuels the human spirit with the tantalizing prospect of a life-altering fortune. And even if the dream isn’t realized, it still fosters a sense of hope and optimism, and provides an entertaining way to pass time.
While the odds are stacked against you, winning the lottery is not impossible. There are a number of ways to increase your chances of winning, including picking your numbers wisely and using a strategy. Ultimately, however, the most important thing to remember is to have fun.
There are many types of lottery tickets in Thailand, but the official government-sponsored lottery (TGL) and the Thai Charity Lottery (TCL) are the most popular. Both are sold in “ticket-pairs”, meaning you’re buying two tickets for the same price, which can be purchased from local vendors or at government-licensed shops. Both are pre-printed and include a number of anti-counterfeiting features, and they also feature a schedule of prizes, ancillary information and conditions.
TGL tickets come in yellow, pink, green and blue, and are only available for purchase within Thailand. TCL tickets are only sold in pairs and include a yellow, green, pink and blue ball. During the draw, an official called the Draw Chairman randomly selects a colored ball to initialize each machine. The balls are then drawn in order of decreasing prize value: yellow for second prize, pink for third prize, green for fourth prize, and blue for fifth prize.
You can purchase tickets for the official lottery at government-licensed shops or through the GLO’s website. You can claim your winnings at the shop where you bought the ticket, or at the provincial Comptroller General’s Department (CGD). However, it’s worth noting that a 1% tax will be deducted from the winnings. This is to cover administrative costs. In addition, if you win the first prize, you’ll have to pay a 20% tax on your winnings. This applies to both the first prize and bonus prize. It used to be that the first prize bonus was a much larger sum, but these prizes have been scrapped by the military government.
