The lottery is a popular pastime in Thailand and a big business. It is estimated that the country’s residents spend $10 billion on it each year. This is in addition to the $28 billion spent on government-sanctioned lotteries. Many people believe that lottery numbers are divine and can help them win the top prize of a million baht. Consequently, people flock to temples and shrines to ask for lucky numbers. Others go to fortune tellers for guidance on picking the right digits.
The official Thai Lottery is run by the Government Lottery Office (GLO). Tickets can be purchased from street vendors or at authorised lottery retailers. The GLO also offers a discount for lottery wholesalers and foundation, association, and organization members. In total, the GLO receives 28% of ticket sales as state revenue. The rest of the money is distributed among lottery prizes, a social activity fund, and administrative expenses.
Winning thai lotto is relatively easy, but it does require some luck. First, you must match all six digits in the correct order. After that, a final two-digit number is drawn. If it matches your last two digits, you win the jackpot. If you want to increase your chances of winning, buy more tickets. You can also purchase additional entries for a fee.
Although gambling is illegal in Thailand and frowned upon by Buddhism, it is a prevalent part of society. Even the bus system uses lottery numbers, and many citizens use them to make decisions. In fact, the country is filled with casinos and gambling dens. People even buy lottery tickets to win a car or other luxury items.
Lottery in thailand was introduced by Chinese immigrants about two centuries ago. In 1874, King Rama V approved the idea for a state lottery. By the mid-2000s, the underground lottery was more popular than the government-sanctioned version. Thais spend an average of 108 billion baht on the underground lottery each year, while only 36 billion is spent on the government-sanctioned one.
In the past, Thaksin expanded legalized gambling by introducing two- and three-digit lotteries. However, his plans were scuttled after he was ousted in a 2006 coup by the military regime.
The two major types of thai lotto are TGL and TCL, which are differentiated by their first prize payouts and level of taxation. The TGL tickets offer a maximum of three million baht for the first prize, while the TCL tickets have a maximum of 30 million baht. The first prize amounts are listed at the top left corner of each ticket. Following the draw, officials will remove balls from the machines to demonstrate that all ten digits were present. All winners must present their ticket/s and either a Thai ID card or passport to claim their prize. The winner will then have to pay a 0.5% stamp duty on the TGL wins and a 1% stamp duty on TCL winnings. This is the only tax paid on lottery winnings in Thailand.
