Thais are notorious gamblers and the country’s official lottery draws are immensely popular. An estimated 19.2 million people regularly play the lotto; this represents approximately one quarter of Thailand’s GDP annually and accounts for roughly 76 billion baht annually in revenue generated through gaming. But more importantly, bi-monthly lotteries reflect and reinforce Thailand’s complex belief system.
Although gambling is illegal in Thailand, one exception is the lottery. Foreigners may purchase tickets legally and collect prizes from GLO, though to an outsider it may seem mysterious and incomprehensible; its complex web of religious superstition, superstitions, imagination and fate that lies underneath its seemingly straightforward mechanisms may provide insight.
Thai lottery operates under its own unique set of regulations that stand out from those used elsewhere. Tickets are sold only in pairs for 80 baht each and come pre-printed with anti-counterfeit features as well as prize lists, additional information and terms printed both in Thai and English on them.
To purchase tickets, a buyer must present both an ID card and proof of address to a teller, who then hands out ticket pairs; both parties sign them in blue ink; finally the winning ticket will be scanned by the machine to ensure its verification; at this point it is awarded as prize money to its rightful winner.
Thai Lotteries are held every month on the first and 16th. Winning numbers are then announced. There are two forms of Thai lotteries: Government Lottery (TGL) and Thai Charity Lottery (TCL), each offering its own set of first prize payouts and tax rates.
Lottery players often seek any potential advantage they can find to improve their odds of winning the grand prize. Dreaming about lucky numbers or consulting online lottery gurus such as Thai Lottery King or My4Website may increase those chances further; others even pursue numbers linked to tragic events such as car accidents and airplane crashes as numbers they wish they could win the lotto with.
Animals are another popular method for seeking fortune. Many Thais believe that animal behavior provides clues as to future lottery results – such as when a dog runs away from home and is thought to have run away, suggesting a jackpot lottery draw will occur shortly thereafter. Some individuals even seek advice from shamans in choosing lottery numbers.