Laos lottery draws are popular draws that promise substantial rewards to participants, yet remain contentious. Some believe its results should be audited, and private business interests that control it shouldn’t be allowed to manipulate its numbers like Insee Trading Company which runs Laos’ lotto and employs executives that know which numbers people choose and have the power to manipulate its system, according to one lottery salesman speaking on condition of anonymity with RFA’s Lao Service.
Concerns were voiced when lucky numbers associated with animal symbols repeatedly appeared as winning combinations for three consecutive drawings in September, such as “67,” which is considered bad luck in Laos. But the committee overseeing the lottery dismissed those concerns by insisting the numbers are selected at random by machine.
Prizes depend on how many numbers have matched. A match of six numbers would result in a prize worth 7.2 billion kip; matching five numbers would yield 6.2 billion kip, and four number matches will earn players 4 billion kip as prizes.
Deng Pravatoudom of Toronto, Canada never expected that she would win such a large sum from Sibsonglasy lottery on January 14. Using the same numbers for 20 years she said that all she did was pray and hope for good fortune.
She told reporters she planned on using some of the money to purchase gold for her husband and expand their family business, assist with education of their children and hopefully one day visit Laos to visit relatives and friends.
