Laos lotto is a national tradition and, for many people, provides a glimmer of hope in a country where economic opportunities can be scarce. Each announcement of a winning ticket sends ripples of excitement throughout the country, as thousands check their tickets and hope to be one of the lucky few. Some people use the lottery to bolster their household income, invest in small businesses, or even put money toward their children’s education.
Others see the lottery as a way to connect with family members who are living abroad, or to help their neighbors in need. Xia Rattanakone, who won the $55 million jackpot in November, says she and her husband plan to give some of their money back to the people who raised them. “They’re the people who gave us a chance to have a better life,” she said. “We want to give them something in return.”
The government is trying to boost confidence in the game by introducing new ways to verify winning tickets and to improve transparency. In August, prime minister Thongloun Sisoulith sent a directive to the Ministry of Finance, which oversees the legal state lottery, asking it to work with the Ministry of Public Security to better manage problems with the lottery, sources told RFA’s Lao Service. The directive also calls for drawing frequency to be reduced from two times a week to once a week, and it prohibits the sale of informal football lotteries or lottery chances purchased through mobile short messaging services.
In the past, there were several instances of suspicious activity associated with the lottery. For example, in September of last year, the winning numbers were 367, 267, and 567—all numbers which are associated with turtles, which many Lao people believe bring bad luck. Also, in December of 2016, suspicions were raised when a winner claimed to have won a large sum after choosing the number 777—which is believed by some to be the sign of disaster.
To counteract these concerns, the government launched a free smartphone application that allows users to check the results of all Laos lotto draws in real time. It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and is available for both Android and iOS devices. Using the app, users can check the results for the most recent draw, view historical results for previous rounds, and even place bets on future lottery events.
In addition to enhancing lottery transparency, the app helps increase convenience for users who prefer to buy their tickets online. It is also easy for lottery players to access the latest winnings by checking their account balances. The official Laos lotto results are also available on the website of the lottery office, which can be accessed by visiting www.mclot.gov.lao. MCOT’s mobile lottery app is the result of a collaboration between the Lao government and private sector partners, and it shows the government’s commitment to protecting the interests of lottery customers.
