Huge Lotto Max changes just took effect in Canada

Major changes have just taken effect for Lotto Max, as Friday’s draw marked the last time the old version of the lottery game was played.

It now costs more to buy a ticket, there’s a bigger range of numbers, and the odds of winning the jackpot have gotten worse.

However, the jackpot cap has increased, there are new $100,000 prizes per draw, and more lines per play.

And while the jackpot odds are worse, the chance winning any prize actually increased.

Here’s a look at how Lotto Max has changed:

Price increase

The price for a ticket has gone up.

It now cost $6 per play, up from the previous price of $5.

It’s the first price increase for Lotto Max since the game began in 2009, a spokesperson for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation previously told INsauga.com.

Bigger jackpot cap

The jackpot cap has increased to $90 million from $80 million, marking a new record for a Canadian lottery, the OLG said.

In 2024, the jackpot cap was increased to $80 million from $70 million.

At the end of December, an $80 million jackpot was won by a ticket sold in London, Ontario.

It was the second time ever that an $80 million Lotto Max jackpot has been won by a single ticket. It was the first time that happened in Ontario.

We still have not yet learned who won that jackpot, although two people have come forward to claim the prize.

Multiple $100,000 prizes per draw

Draws now have $100,000 prizes up for grabs based on the jackpot amount.

There are multiple $100,000 “Maxplus” prizes offered for each draw, with the specific number depending on the jackpot size.

“For example, when the jackpot is $10 million, 10 additional $100,000 prizes will be drawn, and so on, up to 90 additional $100,000 prizes when the jackpot hits $90 million,” the OLG said.

“That’s on top of the growing maxmillions prizing that may be available.”

Maxmillion prizes are additional $1 million prizes that start to be offered once the jackpot hits $50 million.

More lines per play

Previously, each $5 Lotto Max play came with three lines of seven numbers.

But that has increased to four lines of seven numbers per $6 play.

Bigger range of numbers

Although players get an additional line, there’s a larger set of numbers that can be chosen.

Selections can now include seven numbers from one to 52, inclusive.

Previously, the range was from one to 50, inclusive.

Worse jackpot odds, but better chance of winning any prize

It’s now harder for players to win the jackpot.

Previously, there was an approximate one in 33,294,800 chance per play, or approximately one in 99,884,400 per line, the OLG said.

Now, it is approximately one in 33,446,140 per play, or one in 133,784,560 per line, the OLG says.

Despite that, the overall odds of winning any prize have improved.

With the old Lotto Max, players had an approximate one in 20.9 chance of winning any prize per line. That worked out to one in seven per play.

The new Lotto Max has an approximate one in 23.3 chance of winning any prize per line, but a one in 5.8 chance per play, as players get four lines instead of three.

For more information, visit the OLG’s website.