In Thailand, lottery games have a long history. The country’s first official state lottery was launched in 1874 on King Chulalongkorn’s birthday. Since then, it has grown into a popular form of gambling. While most forms of gambling are illegal in the country, thai lotto is the only legal game that involves a draw of numbers for prizes. The bi-monthly lottery draws are a big attraction for locals and visitors alike.
The number of lottery players in Thailand is enormous, with women outnumbering men by a small margin (52.6 against 47.4%). Most of the winners are in the working age group, with a quarter earning less than the average monthly salary.
Despite the fact that most forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand, a large portion of the population spends $10 billion a year on lottery tickets. Much of this money is spent in “huay tai in” (underground lottery houses), where the top prize is up to 36 million baht. The Government Lottery Office (GLO) has tried to crack down on this activity, but many still purchase lottery tickets from street vendors, who often sell them at high prices.
The lottery is run by the GLO and offers a variety of prizes to its players. These include a jackpot of 30 million baht, second prize of 10 million baht, third prize of 5 million baht, fourth prize of 2 million baht, and fifth prize of 1 million baht. The draw is held twice a month, on the first and 16th of every month.
Players have two years to claim their winnings from the lottery. Prizes that are less than 20,000 baht can be cashed out at any authorized retail venue. Larger amounts must be claimed at the head office of GLO in Nonthaburi. Winnings are paid in cash or by check.
Most of the ticket revenue is used for prize money, while another 20% is funnelled to the treasury. The rest is split amongst street vendors (12%), ticket wholesalers (2%) and foundation, association and organization discount (3%).
Some people in Thailand use superstitions to determine their lucky numbers. For example, they may look for figures in barks of trees, the number of spots on a cat’s fur, snakes (a giant snake is representative of the number five and a smaller one represents six) and rats (linked to the number one). While such superstitions are not scientific, they can help players make a more informed decision about the purchase of their lottery tickets.
The GLO also organizes charity lotteries, where the proceeds are given to various organizations. While such lotteries are legal, they have not become as popular as the regular state lottery. Nevertheless, they are an excellent way to support charitable activities in Thailand. In addition to the government-sanctioned charity lotteries, there are a growing number of online operators offering thai lotto. However, players must be aware of the risk of losing too much money. Therefore, they should prepare a financial plan and limit their spending to a reasonable amount of disposable income.
