The lottery is one of only two forms of legal gambling in Thailand. It’s a huge industry, attracting 19 million players; that’s 28.6% of the country’s native population. The image of a street vendor carting around a brown wooden box full of lotto tickets strapped to a bicycle is a familiar sight in the Land of Smiles, but these vendors are having a tough time making ends meet. The government has been working to reform the lottery system, but some traders are not convinced that the new rules will help them make a profit.
The purchase of lottery tickets cannot be accounted for by decision models based on expected value maximization, since the cost of tickets is much higher than the expected gain. However, the purchase can be explained by risk-seeking behavior. Decision models based on the curvature of utility functions can account for lottery purchases, as well as other risk-seeking behavior.
There are many different ways to play the lottery. Some people play it by purchasing individual numbers or a combo ticket. Others use a random number generator, which selects a combination of numbers from an established database. The winnings are then transferred to the winner’s bank account. Some lottery games also offer a choice between annuity payments and lump sum payouts. Many experts recommend choosing the annuity option, as it provides a steady stream of income over time.
Lottery annuities can be set up for periods of up to 30 years, and some states offer a lifetime annuity. These options can reduce the amount of taxes paid and are more tax-efficient than lump-sum payments. Some experts recommend obtaining professional advice before choosing annuities.
Many Thais are superstitious folk, and they often come up with unusual tips for predicting lottery numbers. The local press is constantly sharing stories of the wacky things that people think will bring them luck in the next drawing. Here are a few of the most interesting:
Creepy dreams and nightmares are an omen of an upcoming lottery win
In Thailand, if you have a dream or nightmare that includes a certain set of numbers, it’s supposed to be a sign that those numbers will be lucky in the next lottery draw. This is especially true if the dream or nightmare is very vivid or scary. The reason behind this is that some numbers are associated with specific symbols, so they’re more likely to appear in a disturbing dream or nightmare. The most popular numbers to dream about are 2, 6, and 13.
