Major changes coming to Lotto Max this year in Canada

This year will see massive changes to one of Canada’s biggest lottery games.

Less than two years after the Lotto Max jackpot cap increased to $80 million from $70 million, it will be going up once again.

But with that, there will also be a number of other changes coming, all starting with the April 14, 2026 draw.

Here’s a look at what lottery players can expect, according to the OLG:

Price increase

The price for a ticket will be going up.

It will cost $6 per play, up from the current price of $5.

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

Bigger jackpot cap

The jackpot cap will be increasing to $90 million from $80 million, marking a new record for a Canadian lottery.

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

Earlier this week, an $80 million jackpot was won by a ticket sold in London, Ontario.

It’s only 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.

Multiple $100,000 prizes per draw

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

There will be multiple $100,000 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

Currently, each $5 Lotto Max play comes with three lines of seven numbers.

But that will increase to four lines of seven numbers per $6 play.

Bigger range of numbers

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

Selections will be able to include seven numbers from one to 52, inclusive.

Currently, the range is from one to 50, inclusive.

Worse jackpot odds, but better chance of winning any prize

The new Lotto Max will make it harder for players to win the jackpot.

Right now, there’s an approximate one in 99,884,400 chance of getting seven out of seven numbers per line, or approximately one in 33,294,800 per play, the OLG says.

Come April 14, it will change to approximately one in 133,784,560 per line, or one in 33,446,140 per play, the OLG says.

Despite that, the overall odds of winning any prize will improve.

Currently, players have an approximate one in 20.9 chance of winning any prize per line. That works out to one in seven per play.

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

For more information, visit the OLG’s website.