In Thailand, more than one third of the population regularly plays the lottery. The game, with its grand aspirations and promise of sudden wealth, is a vehicle for social interaction, a revenue generator for organizers, and an economic stimulant for winners. But lottery culture also entails fate, faith and imagination, all of which are wrapped up in a complex network of beliefs that is rooted in the country’s religious, political and economic history.

The first step to winning the lottery is choosing which numbers to buy. Bom’s meticulous process involves a combination of mathematical calculation and numerology. After he has penciled down a list of integers, he consults a wheel chart to select a second set, and then crosses out the numbers in a specific pattern until he is left with just two digits. This is the number he will purchase for the next draw.

Those who play the lottery are not just gamblers, but often people who have no other ways of improving their lives. A study published in 2006 found that a large percentage of lottery players were poor and lower middle class, with a monthly salary below the national average. The study also indicated that a majority of those who played the lottery did not have any other income sources outside of the lottery.

The lottery is one of the only forms of legalised gambling in Thailand, and is run by The Government Lottery Office (GLO). Drawings are held on the first and 16th of each month. The GLO allocates 60% of proceeds to prize money, and 28% for state revenue. In recent decades, the lottery has also been used as a source of political protest: in 1973, activists burned down the GLO building in a demonstration against military dictators who were using the profits for personal gain.

For many, however, the lottery is a way to give back to the community. A local charity in Chiang Mai, for instance, helps disabled persons sell lottery tickets as a means of earning a living. The organization’s co-founder, Don Willcox, explains that many people with disabilities do not find jobs because employers are unwilling to make necessary accommodations, such as installing ramps and wider doors.

Despite the fact that many people are able to use mobile phones to check their lottery results, there is still a significant number of Thais who do not own one. In addition, some Thais are unable to afford the cost of a subscription to a service that allows them to check their results online. Fortunately, there are now several websites that offer free lottery results. They can be accessed by anyone who has access to the internet and a mobile phone. For those who do not have a computer or tablet, it is possible to visit lottery shops to get their results. Some websites even offer a translation feature, which makes it easier for people to understand their results.