Lineups formed at retailers across the country on Friday as patrons hoped to cash in on the largest lottery jackpot in Canadian history, Ontario's gaming authority said.
The prize in Friday night's nationwide Lotto Max draw stood at $70 million, a figure the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. said is the highest ever awarded in Canada. The draw was also to feature at least 10 smaller prizes of $1 million.
Jackpots start at a minimum of $10 million and can grow to $70 million! When the LOTTO MAX Jackpot exceeds $50 million, additional MAXMILLIONS draws will occur with prizes of $1 million each! For an additional $1 per play, you can add EXTRA for a chance to win the $250,000 top prize or $100,000 second prize!
- When the Lotto Max Jackpot is at or above $50 million, a 7/7 Cap is established. Each $1 million in excess of the 7/7 Cap is drawn as a separate $1 million MAXMILLIONS prize. The max 7/7 Cap for the jackpot is $70 million. For each MAXMILLIONS Draw, seven numbers are drawn from among all numbers from 1 to 50.
- LOTTO MAX draws are held every Tuesday and Friday. Tickets can be purchased until 9:30 pm CT, 8:30 pm MT and 7:30 pm PT on the date of the draw. When the LOTTO MAX Jackpot exceeds $50 million, MAXMILLIONS draws will occur. MAXMILLIONS and the jackpot will continue to grow until the jackpot reaches $70 million.
- Jan 09, 2021 Last Updated Jan 9, 2021 at 2:00 am MST TORONTO — No winning ticket was sold for the $32 million jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw. It means the jackpot for the next Lotto Max draw on Jan. 12 will grow to approximately $40 million.
Dita Kuhtey, a spokesperson for the lottery corporation, said the traditional sales bump retailers experience when jackpots exceed $50 million appears to be even more pronounced this time as Canadians hope to carve out a slice of the historically large pie.
'There was a steady lineup all day, probably five to six or seven people long,' Kuhtey said of one kiosk in downtown Toronto. 'I've heard from other retailers on our sales team that there have been some lineups.'
Kuhtey said the current pot has reached stratospheric levels because Lotto Max has not produced a winner since Nov. 26, 2019. Each time the prize goes unclaimed, the pot increases by $5 million, until reaching the $70 million cap, she said.
If no winner emerges after Friday's draw, the same $70 million prize will be up for grabs again on Tuesday.
Lotto Max Jackpot Draw
'Biggest jackpot ever offered in Canadian history'
Kuhtey said it's not yet possible to gauge sales figures for the draw, since historically the bulk of sales takes place in the hours before the results are unveiled. But she said sales in Ontario alone surged 29 per cent between last Friday, when a $60 million prize was up for grabs, and Tuesday when the pot reached $65 million.
Lotto Max Numbers Jackpot
'This is the first time we're hitting that $70 million cap,' Kuhtey said, 'Which is why it's the biggest jackpot ever offered in Canadian history.'
Two major wins took place last year, when Lotto Max draws produced winners worth $65 million each. She said both prizes were claimed on single tickets, one purchased in Quebec and the other in western Canada.
Kuhtey said the spate of big paydays has come about in part due to changes to the draw, which began taking place twice a week as of last year. At that time, the operators also raised the jackpot limit from $60 to $70 million, she said.
Canada's other national lottery, Lotto 6/49, has also produced at least one comparable winner. Kuhtey said an Ontario winner claimed that lottery's largest ever pot of $64 million in 2015.
Canadians have until 10:30 p.m. ET to purchase tickets for the Friday Lotto Max draw. The draw follows right after.
About Canada Lotto Max Game
Canada Lotto Max started on September 25, 2009 after Canada's old Super 7 game ended. The game changed format to add an extra number in May 2019. To play the Lotto Max Canada game, choose 7 numbers from 1-50. The seven winning numbers and a bonus number are drawn. Tickets cost $5 for a three-game play. Drawings are held twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. The jackpot starts at $10 million and increases until there is a winner, or the jackpot reaches $50 million.
When the Lotto Max Jackpot is at or above $50 million, a 7/7 Cap is established. Each $1 million in excess of the 7/7 Cap is drawn as a separate $1 million MAXMILLIONS prize. The max 7/7 Cap for the jackpot is $70 million. For each MAXMILLIONS Draw, seven numbers are drawn from among all numbers from 1 to 50.Players must match all seven numbers drawn to win a MAXMILLIONS prize. If there is more than one winner in a MAXMILLIONS Draw, the MAXMILLIONS prize will be shared among the winners in that draw.
The odds of winning the Lotto Max jackpot are one in 33,294,800 per $5 play. This makes Lotto Max harder to win than Canada's National Lotto (odds of one in 13,983,816).