In thailand, the lottery is a state-run entity. This means that there is a strict legislative framework that determines how the lottery operates, how prizes are paid out, and what percentage of the sum generated through ticket sales will go towards supporting national causes. The GLO, which oversees the operation of the lottery, sells tickets to wholesalers who then distribute them to a network of more than 14,700 authorized retail venues throughout the country. Retailers then charge a small percentage on top of the GLO ticket price in order to generate income. This system has been blamed for hiking the ticket prices but the government is moving in a direction to bring down these costs.
There are two lottery draws per month. In a typical drawing, 5 new six-digit numbers are drawn and you must match all of them in the correct order to win. There are also 10 three-digit numbers that carry smaller prizes ranging from 2,000 baht to 4,000 baht. You can check the results of each draw on the GLO website at around 5 pm on lottery days.
Some Thais choose their lottery numbers by checking the result archives to see which numbers have been hot or cold over the past few months. Others visit a temple or shrine to ask for cosmic guidance. For instance, when a monk passes away, many people will flock to his temple not only to pay their respects but also in the hope of picking up some lottery-winning hints – maybe the date of the monk’s birth or death, or if he was hospitalized during his final days, the number of his room.
Other Thais turn to fortune tellers in order to pick their lucky numbers. While this practice is frowned upon in the west, it is quite common in Thailand. Likewise, many Thais will head to the temple or shrine of Mae Nak, the ghost of a young woman who died in childbirth, to ask for divine intervention in their lottery numbers. Mae Nak’s shrine on Sukhumvit Soi 77 is home to a small pot filled with numbered ping pong balls which she is said to have used to predict winning lottery numbers in the past.
Lottery sellers in thailand are often poor, deaf, or blind and this is one of the few careers that don’t require any skills and can make them survive day-to-day. It is important to remember that they can’t be trusted and a few sellers will even increase the price of the ticket and keep the difference.
If you’re a winner, you must present your winning ticket to an authorized retail venue and submit a valid identification document (for local bettors) or a passport (for foreign bettors). Larger winnings will need to be claimed in person at the GLO office. The amount you’ve won will then be transferred to your bank account within a few days. You’ll be notified when the prize is ready for collection.
