The thai lotto is a bi-monthly lottery in Thailand with a jackpot prize of up to 30 million baht (US$990,000). It is one of only two forms of legal gambling allowed in the country, the other being horse racing. The lottery draws take place on the first and 16th of each month. It is organized by the Government Lottery Office (GLO), which also prints the tickets. The GLO is overseen by the Thai government and 28% of lottery profits are used for state purposes.
Lottery is a popular pastime for many Thais and the numbers are widely seen as lucky. Many people go to the temple or shrine to pray for their winnings and some even visit fortune tellers for help. It is estimated that the country spends over $10 billion on gambling each year.
Until 2015, there was a multi-tier distribution system for the government lottery: The GLO sold tickets to national wholesalers (also known as brokers) who then sold them to local retailers. These retailers then distributed the tickets to their customers. This made it hard for the average player to get a fair price and was also the source of many shady practices. For instance, some vendors would sell tickets with a ‘lucky’ number that they had found on a previous draw for an extremely high price, effectively robbing players of their money.
The current distribution system is much simpler. The tickets are available at local shops and supermarkets and can be purchased with cash or credit. They are also available at the GLO website and through mobile phone apps. In addition, some online ticket sellers offer discounts and other incentives.
Although the government has made great strides in ensuring the lottery is run fairly, there are still a few problems. One of these is that lottery results are not published as quickly as in other countries, which can be frustrating for lottery fans. Another problem is that the government does not allow players to purchase their tickets online, which makes it difficult for some people to play from home.
The lottery is one of the most popular forms of gambling in Thailand, with a staggering 19 million people playing it every month. The thai lotto is overseen by the Government Lottery Office, and it offers a maximum of 30 million baht in prizes. Winners must present their ticket/s and ID card or passport at the GLO office to claim their prize. In addition, they must pay 0.5% tax on their winnings.
