In Thailand the lottery is big business. The country spends an estimated $10 billion a year on legal and illegal gambling, with much of it spent on soccer bets, where Thais wager huge sums on European teams. The country’s former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, pushed to expand the lottery industry by offering two- and three-digit lotteries, but his plans to legalize Las Vegas-style casinos in poor provinces were abandoned after his overthrow by the military regime.
While gambling is considered a sin in Buddhism, and there are laws against it, the country is full of gamblers. People purchase tickets for the lottery at gas stations, pharmacies and convenience stores. Bus tickets have lottery numbers, and even army service is determined by a lucky draw (red you’re in, black you’re out). The national lottery is the largest in Southeast Asia and one of the most popular ways to win money.
The lottery in thailand is operated by the Government Lottery Office (GLO). There are two types of tickets: TGL and TCL. The only difference between them is the jackpot amount offered to winners. TGL tickets are available at most gas stations, while TCL tickets can be purchased from the GLO website.
Lottery tickets are printed on thin paper and feature a six-digit number and a watermark of Wayupak, the mythical bird of Thailand. The tickets are also coated with chemicals that will stain if they’re exposed to bleach, making them more difficult to counterfeit. To further protect the integrity of the tickets, GLO staff check them for stains before they’re distributed to vendors.
A winner must present the winning ticket and his or her ID card or passport to claim a prize. For larger prizes, a winning ticket must be submitted to the GLO department of prize payments. The department will then verify the information on the ticket and contact the seller to pay the prize money.
While many people in the West visit their local vicar for lottery tips, few in Thailand do. But it’s common for a family to head to a temple or shrine to ask a monk to pray for the right numbers. Similarly, it’s not uncommon for people to visit fortune tellers in the hope of getting some divine guidance when selecting their lottery numbers. Some people also visit the shrine of Mae Nak, a famed ghost who can offer divine guidance on a variety of issues, including choosing lottery numbers. There are even rumors that she has a small clay jar filled with numbered ping pong balls. Those who believe in this legend say the numbers can help them win the jackpot. But it’s not guaranteed, of course. Even the most lucky person can lose. But it’s still worth a try!
