Lotteries are one of only two forms of legal gambling allowed in Thailand and remain an immensely popular pastime with its 19 million residents, representing 28.6% of its total population. The government lottery draws twice per month on the 1st and 16th, with tickets available to buy at supermarkets, convenience stores and other outlets throughout Thailand. Many await with anticipation the draw with hope of becoming millionaires overnight – often the motivation behind ticket sales!
While Thai lotto is big business, an underground lottery system exists which operates parallel to it and may generate up to four or five times more income annually than what the official lotto can generate. This network of dealers may attract small-time gamblers drawn by bigger prizes, better chances of winning and credit purchases as well as online ordering of numbers.
The Official Government Lottery (TGL or TCL) is a state-owned company responsible for overseeing all operations and prize payouts of Thailand’s National Lottery, selling both government and charity lottery tickets that differ only in their first-prize payouts and tax that must be paid upon winnings. Each ticket features six digits printed prominently in its upper left corner with anti-counterfeiting features like two watermarks that can be seen under ultraviolet light as well as drops of bleach that detect any stains on paper; pairs only sold, with each ticket costing 80 Baht each time!
Though Thai lotto has proven immensely popular, the government has struggled to control overpricing by retailers. Many retailers sell tickets at more than their face value on the basis of having to cover operating costs and fees for reselling them at higher prices; private companies reselling tickets online at much higher rates still. To combat this trend, the government is increasing the number of digital tickets that can be sold online, but will also need to crack down on overpricing by retailers and private companies.
Though many westerners might shy away from visiting churches or temples to pray for lucky numbers, Thais will go the extra mile in their pursuit of good luck numbers. Some visit monks for spiritual advice while others go see fortune tellers in hopes of receiving insight into their futures. No matter which method people employ when trying to divine which numbers will win in Thailand lotto games – the average ticket costs 80 baht and buying just one could result in losing at least 94 baht, making such bets not worth taking the risk!
