You can play the Laos lottery online using a mobile phone or desktop computer. The state organization that runs the lottery even airs live tv and facebook broadcasts of the drawing of the numbers. The lottery is a big deal in the country. Its importance is reflected in the fact that people often ask each other “have you had good dreams lately” as an indication of their lucky lottery numbers.

While the lottery has become one of the most popular forms of gambling in the country, questions about its fairness are a constant. Some people claim that lottery officials rig the game by manipulating winning numbers in order to avoid large pay-outs. They also accuse the company that runs the lottery of letting in relatives of government leaders with business interests in the industry. A source told RFA’s Lao Service that Thailand-based Insee Trading Company, which oversees the lottery, knows what numbers players choose and therefore can manipulate the results. The number 09 was a popular choice in this year’s lottery, but mysteriously vanished from tickets purchased throughout the day of the drawing on Oct. 14.

The company that runs the lottery pays the government a portion of its revenue, and despite the controversies, the public continues to buy tickets and trust the system. However, a member of the steering committee that oversees the lottery told RFA that the committee has been changing procedures to respond to recent concerns. For example, the number of drawings may be cut back from three to just one per week.

You can buy a lotto ticket at most grocery stores and convenience stores. The store owners have a machine they run your ticket through after the numbers are announced to verify that you are a winner. You can then file a prize claim with the government. All prizes must be claimed within six months or one year from the date of the draw. You will need to show your winning ticket and ID card. It is important to keep the ticket safe and not lose it. It is void if it is stolen, unissued, mutilated, illegible, tampered with or altered in any way.