As the name implies, thai lotto is the state-run lottery that is played in Thailand. It is operated by the Government Lottery Office (GLO), which prints and sells tickets to wholesalers and retail venues. It is a very popular form of gambling in Thailand and the proceeds from ticket sales are used to support national causes. As with all forms of gambling, it is important to understand the risks involved before you begin playing thai lotto.
Each ticket has a six-digit number, which is drawn live in the GLO office on the first and 16th days of every month. The prizes range from small prizes of 2,000 baht for the two digit numbers to large ones of millions of baht for the six-digit winners. The draw is broadcast on television in Thailand. In addition, there is a website that shows the results of each drawing.
People in Thailand take the lottery seriously. The GLO is a state-run entity with a strict legal framework for how the lottery operates and how the winnings are paid out. This is one of the reasons that thai lotto is not a scam. It is also one of the few forms of gambling that is completely tax-deductible in the country.
While most westerners may visit their local church to ask for divine guidance when picking lottery numbers, a visit to a temple or shrine is far more common in Thailand. For example, the shrine of Mae Nak on Sukhumvit Soi 77 is frequented by people asking for all manner of cosmic guidance including a good exam result or help with fertility, but most importantly to find the right numbers in the lottery. Next to Mae Nak’s shrine is a small clay jar full of numbered ping pong balls which the faithful believe will guide them to their lottery fortune.
Many Thais also visit fortune tellers and try to find signs in their surroundings that will give them a hint as to which numbers are going to win. For example, some will look for the numbers in a cat’s spots, the number of rings on a bell or the number of teeth in a dog’s mouth. Others will visit the temple of a deceased monk in the hope that his soul will provide them with a lottery hint in his last breath.
Many Thais also bet on soccer games, and it is estimated that at least $2 billion in bets change hands each week. This is despite the fact that sports betting is illegal in the country. However, this phenomenon has spawned its own subculture with its own newspapers and television channels. The popularity of the sport has also led to the creation of a new type of lottery known as sam khreung, wherein participants place bets on their favourite teams. This type of lottery has seen huge growth in the past few years and is now a very lucrative industry in thailand. It is a popular form of lottery among working-class Thais who are looking for an opportunity to improve their lives.
