The lottery is a national game administered by the Government Lottery Office (GLO). It is one of only two forms of legal gambling in Thailand, the other being horse racing. The lottery is drawn every first and 16th of the month. The top prize is ten million baht and there are a total of seven prizes in the second and third categories. In addition to the cash prizes, there are other perks for the winners of the lottery including free tickets for future draws and discounts on the purchase of future tickets.
The Thai lottery is a popular activity for locals and visitors alike. It is not the biggest jackpot in the world, but it does offer an excellent opportunity to win some money. While a little more regulation and higher top payouts would be nice, the fact remains that thai lotto is a fun and straightforward game that is worth a try.
In order to play thai lottery, players must buy a ticket from a licensed retailer. The ticket includes a six-digit number and an expiration date. The government has implemented several measures to prevent fraud and ensure that the tickets are legitimate. In addition to a six-digit security watermark of Wayupak, the lottery paper contains a special chemical that causes it to stain if it comes into contact with bleach. This is designed to discourage counterfeiting, although a number of people still try to tamper with the lottery by purchasing duplicate tickets.
The GLO prints the lottery tickets and sells them to national wholesalers, or “brokers.” The brokers then distribute the tickets to the nation’s 14,760 registered retail venues. The retail venues typically add a percentage to the price of the ticket in order to generate revenue themselves. This system has been criticized by some critics for driving up the price of lottery tickets, but it is a necessary part of the distribution chain and allows the retailers to make their money.
Each ticket is also printed with a special two-tone watermark of Wayupak, the mythical bird of Thailand. The watermark is visible under normal light, but will glow green when held under ultraviolet light. In addition, a unique serial number is printed on each ticket, which is used for verification purposes.
Traditionally, lottery winnings in thailand are distributed to the winners via bank accounts. The winners must submit a claim form along with a certified copy of their ID and proof of address. The process can take a few weeks, but it is worth the effort in the long run. Those who don’t want to wait can use the services of an agency that offers expedited processing.
Each year, the lottery office turns in over four billion baht to the state treasury. It also provides 440 scholarships to undergraduates and allocates close to 20 million baht each year for charitable donations. This makes it the second-largest contribution to charity in Thailand.
