The thai lotto is a popular betting game in Thailand that allows people to try their luck at winning a large prize. It has grown to become a major attraction for many foreign tourists and is also one of the most important sources of funds for charities in the country. There are more than 19 million Thais who participate in the lottery each month, and many of them have become avid fans of this game.
The Thai lottery is a national lottery run by the government’s Office of the Government Lottery (GLO). It is conducted twice a month: on the first and 16th of every month. The draws are televised live and the top prize is 30 million baht. The odds of winning change with each draw, depending on the number of tickets printed and sold.
A ticket for the lottery costs 40 baht. The GLO sells tickets to retail venues, which then mark them up to generate income. In the past this practice resulted in lottery prices that were far above what the GLO charged. When a military government took over the government in 2014, lottery reform became a priority. This included introducing a maximum price for tickets.
To avoid counterfeiting, the government has made several modifications to the official lottery ticket. It is now printed on special paper with a two-tone watermark of Wayupak, a mythical bird of Thailand. The paper also contains a silk thread that can be seen under ultraviolet light, and the numbers are embossed for greater security. The paper has a special chemical that causes it to stain when bleach is added, making it easy to spot a fake.
Each lottery number has a six-digit code, and the winners are determined by matching these numbers. There are three prize categories: B10,000 for matching the first or last two digits, B40,000 for matching the first three digits, and B50,000 for matching the last two digits. The bonus prize was eliminated by the military government after 1 August 2015. Players must sign their name on the back of their lottery ticket to validate it. In addition, they must present their ticket and a valid form of ID to claim the prize. If the amount of their prize is less than 20,000 baht, they can cash it at any authorized retail venue in the country. However, players who win larger sums will have to visit the head GLO office in Nonthaburi to receive their award.
Many Thais believe that a number is lucky if it appears in an auspicious location, such as in the stars, clouds, or the shadow of a rat. Other superstitions include numbers found in the barks of trees, the number of spots on a dog’s fur, snakes (snakes represent the number five, while smaller ones represent the number six), and a variety of other symbols. These beliefs have encouraged the growth of an underground lottery system that can be up to five times larger than the official Thai lottery.
