The thai lotto is the national lottery of Thailand. It is one of only two forms of legal gambling in the country (the other being horse racing) and is played by over 19 million people, or 28.6% of the country’s population. It is held twice a month, on the first and 16th of each month, and has a total prize fund of approximately ten billion baht.
The lottery is the most popular form of gambling in Thailand. The official government-run lottery, called the “Thai Government Lottery” (Thai:
While most Thais consider the lottery to be a game of chance, there is a thriving underground industry for players who want to increase their chances of winning. Many of these operators operate from private homes, where they can keep their identities secret and charge higher prices than in official shops. They also offer a variety of services, such as interpreting dreams and fortune-telling with bamboo sticks. Often, they will use children to pick the winning numbers.
In addition to the official government lottery, there are a number of other independent games of chance in Thailand. These include sports betting, horse races, and other traditional games of chance, as well as casino-style games. Soccer betting is particularly popular in Thailand, with some estimates that $2 billion dollars change hands each year on European soccer matches. This is an enormous amount by any standard, and the phenomenon has spawned its own media outlets and even a television show.
There are two types of lottery tickets in Thailand: the Thai Government Lottery (TGL) ticket and the Thai Charity Lottery (TCL) ticket. The difference between the two is the first prize payout and the percentage of tax that must be paid on winnings. TGL tickets have a first prize of six million baht and a bonus prize of 22 million baht, while TCL tickets have a first prize of three million baht and a bonus prize that was eliminated after the military government took power in 2015.
The official lottery is run by The Government Lottery Office (GLO), which prints the lottery tickets and conducts the draws. The GLO sells the tickets to national wholesalers, known as brokers, who then distribute them nationwide to retailers. The retail vendors then sell the tickets to the public. After each drawing, officials clear the balls from the machine to ensure that all ten numbers have been drawn. Winnings are usually paid out within two years of the drawing, and sums below 20,000 baht can be cashed out immediately at authorized venues. Larger amounts can only be claimed by visiting the head GLO office in Nonthaburi. A photo ID is required for all prize winners.
