The lottery is the biggest gambling business in Thailand. It is a government-run enterprise, and its revenues are used to support national causes. Each year, the Office of the Government Lottery Office turns in more than 4,000 million baht to the national treasury. It also contributes close to 20 million baht a year to the welfare fund for civil servants and military personnel, and earmarks eight million baht for a variety of charities. In addition, the office subsidizes 440 scholarships worth 20,000 baht each and pays out millions in prizes to players.
Many Thais believe that numbers have special powers. For this reason, they choose their numbers carefully and buy tickets for lucky numbers like 1234. They also visit shrines to seek divine guidance in choosing the right lottery numbers. The shrine of Mae Nak, a woman who died in childbirth, is located on Sukhumvit Soi 77 and is frequented by people seeking her divine intervention for all sorts of things: money for their lottery tickets, good grades on an exam, or even a promotion at work.
Another popular activity among Thais is betting on soccer games. This is a big industry and brings in an estimated $2 billion a year. The industry is so lucrative that it has spawned a thriving underground lottery network with operators and dealers who run parallel lotteries up to five times larger than the official one.
Despite the fact that gambling is illegal in Thailand and frowned upon by Buddhist priests, it is still very prevalent in society. The country is filled with casinos, lotteries and other gambling establishments. The lottery is especially popular, and it is estimated that about 70% of the population plays it regularly. Gambling is a major social activity and many people spend more time on it than on work or family. Moreover, the number of gamblers is increasing with each passing day.
In order to win the lottery, you need to match six of the winning numbers to receive the top prize. The winning numbers appear in the first to third prize categories and are displayed on the screen after the draw. In the event that you are one of the winners, you will be required to present your ticket along with a valid identification document and bank account details when claiming the prize. Those who are not residents of Thailand will need to bring their passports in order to claim the prize.
If you are a foreigner and you have won the lottery, you will have to pay 0.5% stamp duty on government lotteries and 1% on charitable lottery winnings. You will also have to pay taxes on your winnings depending on the amount you have won. For example, if you have won more than 20,000 baht, you will have to pay tax of 3,000 baht. You can also get your taxes reduced if you are a tourist. For this, you will need to have your passport ready and a receipt from the lottery outlet where you bought your ticket.
