The lottery is a game of chance, but it also weaves into the fabric of Thailand’s religious, economic and social traditions. It’s a revenue generator for organizers, a source of entertainment for people who play it, and an economic stimulus for communities that may receive windfalls from winning. And, of course, it’s a culturally unifying ritual that feeds people’s fantasies about winning big money and changing their lives forever.
Lottery players are not a privileged class, as many people in Thailand live below the poverty line. In fact, according to a study published in the International Gambling Studies Journal in 2006, over one third of lottery players are from the lower middle or poor classes. The lottery is a way for them to enjoy their time and relieve stress from the daily struggles of life.
While the lottery is a game of chance, people do a variety of things to try and increase their chances of winning, including consulting with monks, interpreting dreams, praying to banana trees, reading tea leaves, and asking children to pick numbers. Some of these practices appear to be in conflict with central Buddhist beliefs, but others do not. For example, many Buddhists go to temples to make merit and glean lottery advice from monks, and this aligns with the belief system that good deeds are rewarded.
Local news outlets are awash in stories of Thais coming up with their own creative methods to predict lottery numbers. The results of these strategies can have drastic consequences. For example, a man from Chiang Mai committed suicide after selling his motorcycle to purchase lottery tickets that did not win. His note to his family cited the lottery as his last hope of a better future.
The national lottery, known as slaakkinaebng in Thai, is run by the Government Lottery Office (GLO). Its primary function is to generate state revenue. Almost two-thirds of proceeds are allocated to prize money, and a percentage is set aside for administrative costs.
Winners must claim their prizes within a week of the draw, and can do so either at the shop where they purchased the ticket or at GLO and Provincial CGD offices. In addition, winners can choose to have their prizes deposited into their bank account.
There are four types of prizes for winning the Hanoi lotto. First prize is B40,000 (10 prizes available), second prize is B10,000 (2 prizes available), third prize is B50,000 (5 prizes available), and fifth prize is B10,000 (7 prizes available). A bonus prize of 22 million baht is awarded to those who correctly select the first six digits. Previously, there were two additional prizes for those who correctly selected the first three and the last two digits. However, these prize amounts were scrapped by the GLO in August 2015. This change means that only those who match all six digits will win the top prize. The remaining winners will receive one of the lower-level prizes.
