Thai Lottery Mai Khaw Jai :o(

[fishboy]

Having recently moved to bangkok i was thinking of getting a few lottery tickets. unfortunately i don't really understand it. there seems to be about 100 draws as well as have different sorts of tickets to buy and amounts of numbers to choose from at different prices.

I could tell you how i think it works but thats probably wrong. Please could some one explain the rules.

[Neeranam]

Fishboy, I'll try to explain but it's not easy.

There's the main lottery - tickets come in pairs('kuu') for about 85 baht. You win if you match the number with the ones published twice monthly. The results are shown in the newspapers. If you get the last two digits matching the 'kang bon' or up you win 1000 baht x2. 100-1 against getting that. If you match the last 3 digits, you win 2000 bahtx 2. There are 4 sets of 3 digits you can match. If you match the main number you win 2 million baht x 2.

There is another set of tickets, which replaced the underground lottery a while back. There is 20 baht(green), 50 baht(blue) and 100 baht(red).

You can choose either the last two or three digits to match either the up number(kang bon) or the down number(kang lang). 'Kang bon' means the the main winning number. Kang lang means the separate 2 digit number(you can win 1000 from on the main lottery).

Now, you can also choose 'dtrong' or 'thot' for the 3 digit - 321 dtrong means that you must exactly match the last 3 digits on the main number. You win about 25,000 baht for a 100 baht ticket. 321 'thot' means it can be 321, 123, 132, 312, 321, 213, 231. I've seen a few Thai people choose numbers like 199 thot which is stupid as the permutations are less - 199, 919, 991.

The lottery is allegedly fixed but it can be good fun. Many Thai people choose the numbers in bizzarre ways - trees tell them etc. It's all good fun, although I know a few poor people that spend too much on it.

[fishboy]

Fishboy, I'll try to explain but it's not easy.

Thanks for the response. I've read that a few times now and am starting to understand. I guess the best chance of winning is with the 100/1 shot which is really 200/1 for the up down bit. is that right? Anyway. thats the best expanation i have had so far. Wish me luck.

Thanks again.

[kmart]

It was rigged before using marked balls *snigger*. Now there is a stunningly bizarre and byzantine routine about drawing the numbers to show that now all is fair. I still don't believe it though. The only time a lot of Thais show any lateral thinking or originality is when cheating / subverting something.

[Pink Mist]

It's absolutely fair and above board, there is no corruption in LOS

[Neeranam]

Whilst taking my 4 month old daughter for a walk in the pram today, I met a rag and bone man who asked for money tobuy a lottery ticket so as he could buy a pair of shoes. He said that a 'spirit' in a big tree(known to us both) had spoken to him.

The numbers were 370, but not necessarily in that order. Why not have a go and tell me if the guy is mad, the tree is mad or I am.

[tijnebijn]

I have won 2 thousand baht once , with 2 tickets . So the price was 4000 baht .When changing the tickets at the market they all were so surprised , the farang winning big ! (rather small but a month work for many).

Its funny and accasionally I buy a ticket with my lucky number . They just pay you the money is my experience .

[fxm88]

Some more questions:

There's the main lottery - tickets come in pairs('kuu')

Why do they come in pairs? Is it possible to buy a single ticket, or half a pair? If I cut the ticket in two is it still valid?

...for about 85 baht.

The face price is 80 baht and it's marked up by the seller, right? Some sellers offer them for 85, some for 90, some for more. Are tickets bought from higher priced sellers luckier? Is it bad form to haggle with the seller to get a lower price?

You win if you match the number with the ones published twice monthly. The results are shown in the newspapers.

When, where and in which newspapers? The sellers also sell a list of the winning numbers -- will they let me look at that list without buying it?

What happens to the tickets that don't get bought? Do the sellers have to return the unsold tickets all they way to Bangkok before the drawing?

Thanks!

[Head Snake]

Another farang and his get rich quick scheme

[eugengeri]

...The sellers also sell a list of the winning numbers -- will they let me look at that list without buying it?

On your ticket you can find the website witch shows also the numbers. But maybe not with underground lottery tickets.

[siam-i-am]

...The sellers also sell a list of the winning numbers -- will they let me look at that list without buying it?

On your ticket you can find the website witch shows also the numbers. But maybe not with underground lottery tickets.

I met a thai who told me the last two numbers of the lottery draw I had to wait till 3pm on day of draw, but had to bet on underground because those numbers were nowhere to be had on the street the numbers came up this was repeated two weeks later, fixed? No way I reckon it was luck

[Neeranam]

[some more questions:

There's the main lottery - tickets come in pairs('kuu')

Why do they come in pairs? Is it possible to buy a single ticket, or half a pair? If I cut the ticket in two is it still valid?

...for about 85 baht.

The face price is 80 baht and it's marked up by the seller, right? Some sellers offer them for 85, some for 90, some for more. Are tickets bought from higher priced sellers luckier? Is it bad form to haggle with the seller to get a lower price?

You win if you match the number with the ones published twice monthly. The results are shown in the newspapers.

When, where and in which newspapers? The sellers also sell a list of the winning numbers -- will they let me look at that list without buying it?

What happens to the tickets that don't get bought? Do the sellers have to return the unsold tickets all they way to Bangkok before the drawing?

Thanks!

Yes, there's nothing against buying 1 ticket. Must have been about 5 years ago they started "ku"ing them.

Haggle with everyone.

All newspapers, Thai and English(not sure about the Nation)

Most of the ones I speak to don't have leftover ones.

[Neeranam]

Another farang and his get rich quick scheme

Selling the tickets is a get rich scheme.

[SnakeBite]

How do you report people selling the tickets for more than what is listed? It's supposed to be 80 Baht but the whole bloody town where I live charge 95 to 100 baht. It happens right in front of the police here and nothing is done. The Thais seem to have a mai pen rai attitude about the whole thing.

[Kerryd]

I play the lottery for giggles now and then. Won 2,000 baht once, probably have spent 5,000 on tickets over the years though.

The tickets have the face value (80) baht, but the sellers add a 5-10 baht mark-up. That is how they make their money.

Unsold tickets have to be returned (and registered) to the lottery office by 3 pm on the day of the draw. If the tickets are not returned/registered, the lottery office won't pay out (i.e. if a seller doesn't turn in their remaining tickets, waits for the numbers to be drawn and then tries to cash in a winning ticket, the Lottery won't pay out the prize). This happened not too long ago, where a Thai man "won" 19 million baht, from a ticket that hadn't been registered. The seller waitied until the numbers were drawn and discovered he had the winning number. It is believed that he arranged a deal with the other guy to claim the prize.

The lottery wouldn't pay out though, as the seller hadn't returned his tickets before the dead-line. Last I heard the case was in the courts.

Any ways. Many Thais buy tickets hoping to win on just the last 2 or 3 numbers. You'll often see the tickets displayed so that just the last 3 digits are visible.

The lottery draws the numbers (televised) twice a month. They are people running around my neighbourhood within half an hour with printed sheets listing all the winning numbers (5 baht for the list, or wait until it's printed in the Thai newspapers the next day).

If you match the whole winning number, you win 2 million baht (but seeing as it's 2 tickets in one, you'd win 4 million). They also have prizes if your number is 1 higher or lower than the winning number (i.e. winning number is 1234567, if you had 1234568 or 1234566 you would win a smaller prize). There is also a special 2 digit number. If you match the whole number plus the special 2 digit number, that is when you win the big money (like the 19 million baht story above).

They also have a bunch of other numbers drawn for lesser prizes. You have to match the whole number to win those as well. Plus the other special 2 and 3 digit numbers drawn that most of the people I know try for (better odds of winning 2,000 baht than 2 million baht).

The back of the lottery ticket shows the prize break down (for each winning ticket).

Remember too that when you go to cash a winning ticket in, the gov't deducts a tax (15 % ?) that goes to the Social Welfare Fund or something.

If you can read Thai, here is the link to the gov't Lottery Office:

The Government Lottery Office

[TAWP]

We have bought tickets at some occasions. The wife always complains that she wants to win so I usually have to tell her that she has to play to be able to win...

Her parents (read: mom) buy for a lot every month. Ofcourse they have won some (think they won some 8K a couple of month ago for instance), but in the long term they have ofcourse spent so many-many thousends it's rather ridiculous...but to each their own.

[Head Snake]

I will only bet on american lottery jackpots over 20 million. All the lower values are a waste of my disposable income.

Wait!! Its disposable!!

ok, I'd rather dispose of my income in a bar with pretty women. Same odds!!

[Neeranam]

I got my tickets - 307 The beers are on me if I win.

[SnakeBite]

Kerryd, The sellers make a percentage on the 80 baht price on every ticket and if anyone wins then the seller gets a bonus. What I'm saying is these guys are raising the price to way more than just what's right for riding your bike around. I think the problem is more into a more of a mafia type situation as the sellers have to sell at that price or make NO money. WHO is in control of the sellers?