In Thailand, lottery is a national obsession. Millions of people play the Government Lottery (GLO), a multi-tiered system that is one of the only two forms of legalized gambling permitted in the country. The GLO prints and sells tickets to national wholesalers, who then pass them on to local retail venues. Those who win prize amounts of 20 baht or less can cash their winnings at authorised retail venues, while larger sums are paid out by cheque.
A few years ago, the military government brought in reforms aimed at streamlining the lottery process and making it more accessible to the general public. Today, players can purchase tickets from a limited number of retail venues or at licensed online vendors. The GLO also offers an app that lets players play the lotto on their mobile phones.
The lottery draws are conducted on the first and 16th of every month. The results are announced and broadcast nationwide. Winners have up to two years to claim their awards. The winning first prize is usually around 30 million baht, while the second prize is 100,000 baht. The third prize is 40,000 baht, and the fifth prize is 10,000 baht. There used to be “jackpot” prizes of 22 or 30 million baht, but those have been discontinued since the military government took power in 2014.
While most western countries tend to focus on statistics when it comes to choosing their lottery numbers, Thais often look for cosmic guidance. They might head to a temple or shrine to pray for the right numbers, or visit fortune tellers in the hope of getting lucky digits. Some even turn to monks for hints – the date of birth or death of a particular monk might give them a clue as to which numbers are most likely to yield victory in the next draw.
Whether or not they actually believe in these signs of destiny, most Thais do consider the lottery to be an important part of their lives. Many Thais buy a ticket each week, either by visiting the retail venue or buying it online. The average price of a ticket is 80 baht, although brokers and retail venues add a small percentage to the official amount in order to generate their own income.
While the odds of winning the top prize in thai lotto are only one in a million, it is still worth trying your luck at the game. If you don’t win, there’s always the next time – and with a little bit of luck, you might just be able to get the lucky numbers. Just remember to always play responsibly, and have fun! Good luck!
