In the latest digital lottery draw, 19 winners took home a total of 114 million baht. Even if you haven't won yet, what would you do if one day you won the first prize?
Today, Thairath Money invites you to open a plan for managing a large sum of money to make it grow, summarizing ways to "gamble without losing your principal" and methods to build a million by yourself without relying on luck.
Actually, whether you win thousands or millions, you should think comprehensively about money. Don’t just spend thinking you can splurge because you won the prize. Initially, there are three main things to focus on.
1. Deduct taxes and manage debt
If it is the government lottery, a 0.5% stamp duty is deducted from the prize amount, with no additional personal income tax (in the case of charity lotteries, a 1% withholding tax applies but no stamp duty).
Clearly separate assets and liabilities. Use money to pay off high-interest debt first, such as credit card debt, personal loans, or informal loans.
2. Maintain liquidity by building an emergency fund
No matter how rich you are, you must manage liquidity well. Some people win big prizes and immediately buy land with all the money. Later, if urgent expenses arise, even with land, you cannot quickly sell it to get cash. Therefore, you must allocate money to maintain liquidity to prevent cash shortages. For example, you might deposit money in a high-interest digital account.
Additionally, you should have an emergency fund equal to about 6-12 times your monthly expenses to protect against unforeseen events.
3. Clearly divide money for living expenses and money for the future
Try asking yourself your life goals and allocate money accordingly. The key is to plan finances and invest for the future, allowing your money to grow continuously. You might structure your portfolio as follows:
- 50% in safe investments like bonds or quality debentures
- 30% in growth-oriented investments such as fundamentally strong stocks or mutual funds
- 20% liquidity for topping up stocks you want or handling unexpected needs
This is just an example portfolio. You can adjust your investment proportions as you wish. If unsure where to start, bring your life goals, asset and debt information to a bank with financial planning experts for advice. The tip is to consult several people and banks to find the best options before deciding based on your risk tolerance and preferred plan.
Winning a big prize is not easy, but if you take the money you spend on lottery tickets (many people spend thousands per month) and plan to grow it, having a million is not out of reach.
For example, save 3,000 baht per month and reinvest any returns.
In the case of a 1.7% annual return (such as a digital deposit), by year 23 you will have 1,019,984 baht
from 828,000 baht principal and 191,984 baht return.
At a 5% annual return, by year 18 you will have 1,063,404 baht
from 648,000 baht principal and 415,404 baht return.
At a 10% annual return, by year 14 you will have 1,107,809 baht
from 504,000 baht principal and 603,809 baht return.
Though it may take decades, if you save steadily and invest disciplinedly, building a million-baht portfolio for yourself is achievable.
Winning big is like a shortcut in life with less capital, but the thrill of "trying your luck" adds color and excitement. Today, we introduce lotteries where you can win prizes without losing your principal.
First, savings lotteries offered by various banks let you try for million or tens of millions baht prizes. You can buy one ticket to enter multiple draws, plus earn interest as stated on the ticket, such as
Government Savings Bank lottery, available in paper and digital forms, starting at 100 baht per unit, with chances to win tens of millions.
BAAC lottery, from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), usually starting at 100 baht per unit.
GH Bank savings lottery, from Government Housing Bank (GH Bank), usually starting at 100 baht per unit.
In 2025, there was news about a "Retirement Lottery" allowing eligible people to buy tickets digitally and win big prizes, with the money saved for retirement. However, it remains to be seen when this project will progress and become operational.
Finally, "good luck" may make you 10 million baht richer in one day, but "financial knowledge" will keep that 10 million with you for life. So whether you win or lose, start planning your finances today...
Information references: Government Lottery Office (GLO), Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), Bank of Thailand, Financial Planning Association of Thailand, Government Savings Bank, BAAC, GH Bank.
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