Thai lotto is one of two legal forms of gambling in Thailand, offering prizes of two million and three million baht twice monthly. But its existence is marred by controversy; retailers overcharge customers while the Government Lottery Office (GLO) attempts to reform this practice.
GLO began selling digital tickets through Krungthai Bank’s Paotang application last June for 80 baht each, in hopes that selling online would help curb overpricing. Retailers, however, oppose this initiative and worry that online sales will directly harm their incomes; additionally, government fears a price cap might stifle demand and drive people away from traditional outlets.
Even so, lottery remains enormously popular in Thailand despite all of its downsides. Roughly 19 million people (or 28.6% of its population) purchase lottery tickets each month; most are poor; for them winning a jackpot is an source of hope in trying times.
Thai culture holds a powerful belief in numbers being lucky, with 3 often associated with good luck and 7 as unlucky. People will often choose lucky numbers after tragedies such as road accidents or deaths in their family; and others use license plate numbers of vehicles involved to find some hope for miracles in those numbers.
Thai Lotto winners often offer helpful insights into their success. Some claim interpreting dreams or seeing animals before draws was an omen that they were on the right path; others turn to Mae Nak, one of Thailand’s best-known ghosts who can provide guidance in business decisions, exams or lottery wins. Her shrine contains a small clay jar full of numbered ping pong balls which visitors may collect if seeking good fortune from Mae Nak.
There is no clear-cut strategy or formula to win Thai lotto, only hard work and some luck can do that job for you. Successful lottery winners have developed numerous strategies for beating the lotto, from praying to banana trees to reading candle drippings as signs from holy water dripping down holy rivers – some even using their children to pick numbers! Undoubtedly, the only sure way of knowing whether you will become the next big winner is to purchase a ticket and wait. If you do strike it lucky and win over 20,000 THB in prizes, any winners must visit GLO’s head office at 359 Nonthaburi Rd in Tha Sai District of Mueang Nonthaburi to claim them personally along with both their passport and signed winning ticket.