When you talk about thai lotto, most people will associate it with the picture of a street vendor carting around a brown wooden box full of lottery tickets strapped to a bicycle. This image is a part of the Thai culture and represents one of just two forms of legal gambling in Thailand. But for most lottery vendors, the bi-monthly draws are a major headache and are not a way to make money. In fact, the prize money for a first-place ticket has been reduced by half in the last decade and is now only 22 million baht. This is because the military government took over in 2014 and made lottery reform a top priority.
The lottery in thailand is organized by the GLO (Government Lottery Office) which prints and distributes the tickets. The tickets are then sold to wholesalers who in turn sell them to the 14,700 authorized retail venues in the country. This system has resulted in price hikes for the tickets, as brokers and retailers put a percentage on top of the official ticket prices.
In order to win a prize, you must match all six numbers on your ticket. The draw chairman randomly selects a colored ball to determine the order of lesser prize draws. The colors signify different prizes: yellow for 2nd prize, pink for 3rd prize, green for 4th prize, and blue for 5th prize.
Unlike other national lotteries, you don’t have to select your own numbers for thai lotto. Instead, the ticket will already have a set of pre-printed numbers. This eliminates the risk of selecting the wrong numbers and allows players to focus on other things. Despite this, there are still a few factors that must be taken into consideration when buying a thai lotto ticket.
To ensure that your ticket is legitimate, look for the following features:
A winning ticket must be accompanied by a valid Thai ID card or passport for foreigners. It must also have a seal that is printed in black and gold at the upper left-hand corner of the ticket. If you’re lucky enough to win a prize, you have two years to claim it. Smaller prizes can be cashed out immediately at any authorized retailer venue, while larger amounts require you to visit the GLO headquarters in Nonthaburi.
The thai lottery has gained massive popularity among locals and attracts foreign visitors, who come for the cultural experience as well as to enjoy the many food and drink options in Bangkok. Nevertheless, the game is not the most exciting in terms of top prizes and its overall structure is less sophisticated than its foreign counterparts. Still, it’s a great choice for those who want to try their luck and get in on the action.