Lotto 6/49 was launched in 1982 as the first lottery in Canada to allow players to choose their own numbers. Operated by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, the game is played by choosing six numbers from a ball pool of 49.
Lotto 6/49 has a minimum jackpot of CAD$5 million and a new addition to the game offers players free entry into a raffle draw where one lucky ticket holder will win a guaranteed CAD$1 million. Drawings for this lottery are held every Tuesday and Saturday evening.
At a cost of CAD$3 per entry, Canada Lotto 6/49 players select six numbers from 1 to 49. Up to ten separate lines per ticket can be purchased in most provinces, although players in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut (provinces in the Western Lottery Corporation) are allowed no more than six lines per ticket.
To win the jackpot, a player must match all six main numbers drawn, although there are six other tiers of prizes available for those who match at least two main numbers. A seventh bonus ball is also drawn and boosts the winnings for those who have matched five main numbers as well as the bonus ball. The top four prize levels are pari-mutuel, meaning cash amounts will vary according to the number of tickets sold and the number of prize winners in that tier.
In addition to the main draw, tickets are also entered into a CAD$1 million guaranteed prize draw raffle. Each line of numbers purchased is allocated a ten-digit, randomly generated number at no extra cost to the player and the ticket which matches the raffle number drawn will win the CAD$1 million raffle prize.
Numbers Matched |
Odds of Winning |
Match 6 |
1 in 13,983,816 |
Match 5 plus Bonus |
1 in 2,330,636 |
Match 5 |
1 in 55,492 |
Match 4 |
1 in 1,033 |
Match 3 |
1 in 57 |
Match 2 plus Bonus |
1 in 81 |
Match 2 |
1 in 6.6 |
If no player wins the Canada Lotto 6/49 jackpot then the prize is rolled over and added to the fund for the next draw.
Canada Lotto 6/49 prizes can be claimed up to one year from the date of the draw.
The biggest Canadian Lottery 6/49 jackpot so far was worth $63,413,885 and shared between four tickets in April 2013.
