As Thailand’s military government continues to crack down on illegal gambling operations, digital lottery sales through the Paotang mobile app have become a popular alternative. Since they began Thursday morning, more than 500,000 tickets have been snapped up at a retail price of 80 baht each.
The lottery is one of two legalized forms of gambling in Thailand, alongside horse racing. It is managed by the Government Lottery Office (GLO) and draws are held on the first and 16th of each month. In 2014, about 67 million people played the official lottery, spending around 76 billion baht. The GLO uses 28% of lottery proceeds for state affairs and purposes.
Thais often turn to spiritual guidance when choosing their lottery numbers. This can take the form of dreams, messages from the universe disguised as everyday events, or even shrewd calculations of short odds. This kind of superstition and imagination doesn’t contradict central Buddhist doctrines, but rather, it builds upon them, creating a new network of spirits and patrons.
Many Thais also visit temples to make merit and glean lottery advice from monks. This reflects the belief that good deeds are rewarded, and is in line with a system of morality in which positive actions will bring about a life of wealth and prosperity. As a result, Buddhism and lottery culture are intertwined.
The Sawang Arom temple in Bangkok is a hotspot for lottery enthusiasts, with its famous holy water basin. Visitors stand around the basin, claiming to see the lucky numbers 23–16–11 and 501. Those numbers then get written on their ticket. Locals also swear by esiimsi, or echiiymchii, a fortune telling technique in which you shake a cup of sticks marked with numbers until one falls out three times. The number you get is a sign of your luck for the day.
Another trick is to look at the plates of parked cars and motorcycles, and purchase a ticket with those numbers. You can also try a more scientific approach to selecting your numbers, which involves choosing a combination of odd and even numbers. This way, if your numbers are drawn, you will win more often than if you choose a random number.
Regardless of the method you use to select your numbers, it is important to stick with them. Many players abandon their strategy after a few bad results, but this only decreases your chances of winning in the future. Besides, you should also avoid betting on numbers that are already popular among other players. This is because a highly-popular number has already been used for a long time, and it will be difficult to beat the competition. You should also avoid buying or selling tickets on the basis of estimates and predictions, as these can actually decrease your chances of winning.