The lottery thailand is one of two forms of legal gambling in Thailand. The government-sanctioned game is drawn every 1st and 16th of the month, and it is a hugely popular pastime among more than 19 million Thais; 28.6% of the country’s population. It’s a source of revenue for organizers, entertainment for the public, and a potential economic stimulus if winners spend their winnings locally. But more importantly, the lottery experience unites people in a shared dream and fuels human spirit with the tantalizing prospect of a life-altering fortune.

The premise is simple: Players purchase tickets, pin their hopes on a sequence of numbers, and hope to match them to a winning combination. The odds of winning are slim, but the lottery is a powerful force for good and encourages social responsibility. Moreover, it is a great way to stimulate the economy in times of economic stress.

Each ticket-pair contains six digits that are pre-printed, include a number of anti-counterfeiting features, and must be purchased in “ticket pairs.” They are priced at 80 baht for TGL tickets or 160 baht for TCL tickets. The ticket-pairs also contain the schedule of prizes, ancillary information, and conditions. The draw chairman randomly selects a colored ball to determine the order of lesser prize draws, which include the second, third, fourth, and fifth prizes. The last prize is a two-digit number for the bonus prize of 30 million baht*.

A street vendor carting a brown wooden box full of lotto tickets strapped to his bicycle is an iconic image synonymous with the Thai lottery. But these vendors, whose business is booming thanks to rising ticket sales and a growing number of Thai expats who can’t beat their itchy feet for the bi-monthly draw, are facing an uphill battle.