Thai lotto is one of the most beloved forms of gambling in Thailand, regulated and organized by its government as legal gambling. Drawings take place twice every month. Anyone interested in taking part must first register on GLO’s website, then purchase tickets at designated vendors (tickets cost 80 baht each). Foreigners may participate in the lottery but will only qualify for its grand prize when registered as residents in Thailand.
Fate, faith, imagination and superstition all play an integral part of Thai lottery culture. For millions of Thais it has become more than a game of chance; lottery is part of life!
GLO (Government Lottery Office), Thailand’s official lottery, organizes its nationwide draw using two varieties of tickets known as TGL and TCL with six-digit numbers printed on them that differ only by first prize payout amount and taxes owed on winnings; TGL tickets offer maximum first prize payout of three million baht with bonus prizes of 30 million baht available, while TCL tickets require paying taxes of 0.5% of winnings for maximum minimum payout of two million baht and tax rate of 0.5% on winnings respectively.
People would traditionally purchase Thai Lotto tickets from private companies or individual sellers who were often run by wealthy Thais. Today, however, most lotto sales take place online or over mobile phone; people can also buy tickets at retail outlets and supermarkets.
Thais sometimes practice ritualized lottery number selection by consulting fortune tellers or animal behavior observers; others consult monks for lucky numbers. Such practices do not violate Buddhist beliefs which hold that positive deeds are rewarded with good fortune – in fact, purchasing lottery tickets serves as an avenue to earn merit while creating new patrons and spirits.
One of the easiest and most reliable ways of determining lucky numbers is esiimsi, or siam si. A player shakes a cup filled with bamboo sticks marked with numbers until one falls out; that number then is considered lucky. This game can often be found played at temples such as Mae Nak’s shrine on Sukhumvit Soi 77 in Bangkok or Sawang Arom temple which features holy water believed to offer divine guidance.
Bom, a 57-year-old businessman, uses an intricate method for selecting his lottery numbers. He purchases tickets using the first two digits of his birthdate followed by selecting two numbers corresponding to his age as last digits – checking palms, feet and hair for signs of luck – before discussing strategy with friends through Line group chats on how best to select numbers – although ultimately Bom admits not believing the ones he chooses himself.