Lottery is one of the most popular forms of gambling in thailand and is regulated by the state-run Government Lottery Office (GLO). GLO prints lottery tickets and sells them to national wholesalers, also known as brokers. The brokers then distribute the tickets to a network of more than 14,700 authorized retail venues throughout the country. Ticket prices are determined by the GLO and there are a number of anti-counterfeiting features on each ticket. Unlike many other countries, lottery tickets are not available for sale outside Thailand. The Government Lottery is the only legalized form of gambling in Thailand.
Gambling is an integral part of Thai culture. It is a popular social activity and it is estimated that the country spends $10 billion each year on illegal gambling in huay tai in or underground lottery houses. Although gambling is considered a sin in Buddhism, it is still widely practiced and the country is full of casino resorts and gambling dens.
While most people will head to their local church or synagogue to ask for a lottery digit, in thailand it is common for them to visit a monk or temple to seek guidance from their spiritual leader. Monks are believed to have the ability to divine which numbers will do the trick. They are often consulted for lottery advice and are even expected to share their winnings with the community.
The most important tip for winning the thai lottery is to pick your numbers carefully. Choose numbers that are not in your name or those of relatives or friends. Also, avoid using family names or other easily recognizable numbers such as your birthday or address. You can also try to combine numbers by looking for patterns in the past results. For example, if you have a number that appeared in the top ten in the previous draw, you should consider adding it to your next selection.
If you are lucky enough to win the lottery, it is important to keep in mind that you have two years from the date of the drawing to claim your prize. This is because the government requires that you pay a 0.5% stamp duty on any winnings over 20,000 baht. You can cash out smaller sums at any authorized retail venue, but larger amounts must be claimed at the GLO headquarters in Nonthaburi.
The biggest prize in the thai lottery is the first prize, which is 2 million baht. There are also second and third prizes, which are 100,000 baht and 40,000 baht respectively. In addition, there are bonus prizes for those who match five of the six digits in the first prize or four of the six digits in the second prize. A bonus prize is also awarded to those whose first five digits are correct but whose last digit differs by one number above or below the winning number. You can read more about the lottery and its rules by visiting the GLO website.
