The Thai Lottery (Thai: ; RTGS: salak kin baeng) is one of only two forms of legal gambling in the Land of Smiles. Held twice a month, on the 1st and 16th of each month, it is played by over 19 million natives; 28.6% of the country’s population. It is also the country’s largest source of revenue; a major contributor to government coffers. The image of a street vendor carting a brown wooden box full of lottery tickets strapped to a bicycle is one that is instantly recognisable worldwide. Yet, despite the massive popularity of the game, these vendors are struggling to survive.

Unlike most western lotteries, which are run by private companies, the Thai lottery is operated by state-owned The Government Lottery Office (GLO). Each ticket costs 50 baht and consists of six numbers, five of which must be in order to win the first prize. In addition to the first prize, a bonus prize of one million baht can be won for people whose number is above or below the winning first-prize number by one digit.

There are also second-prize prizes of 100,000 baht for people who correctly match three or more numbers. Third-prize winners are awarded 40,000 baht for matching two or more numbers. The fourth prize of 10,000 baht is for people who correctly match just one number. Finally, a fifth prize of 5,000 baht is for those who correctly match all but the last number on their ticket.

In addition to a large prize pool, the lottery also has an important social role to play in the Land of Smiles. It creates hope and optimism, fosters community spirit, and can even be a source of economic stimulus. The prospect of a life-changing fortune can change consumer behaviour, as people start spending money in anticipation of their windfall.

But there’s no denying that the odds of winning are vanishingly small. And even if you’re convinced that there is a miracle somewhere out there, it would be foolish to invest too much. So why do so many people continue to buy a ticket? It’s not just because they believe in luck, but because the lottery offers them a chance to win a substantial amount of money. Some people have even taken this idea to a whole new level, turning lottery betting into a professional career. Take the Aussie man who spent millions trying to crack the code of lottery winnings, for example. He even bought physical newsagencies just to print off his own tickets! But is his obsession with winning really a healthy pastime?