Changes to Canada Lotto 6/49 now in effect

Jun 1, 2004, 12:52 pm (24 comments)

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Changes to Canada's most popular lottery game since 1982 are now in effect.

Lotto 6/49 buyers are now paying $2 per ticket, an increase of $1, first announced last November by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The price hadn't increased since its inception 22 years ago, Don Pister, spokesman for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

The $2 tickets were first sold Sunday morning and the first draw will be held Wednesday night.

The game is unchanged, except for an additional $5 prize for matching two out of six numbers, plus the bonus.

The decision was reached by Canada's five regional lottery corporations following interviews with 4,500 Canadians across the country who told researchers they wanted bigger jackpots, Mr. Pister said.

The jackpot was rarely exceeding $10-million in the last couple of years, Mr. Pister said, adding that he expects the jackpot will regularly start at $4-million and may even reach $25-million thanks to pricier tickets.

While it's too early to tell if people are buying into the promise of larger windfalls, the Wednesday jackpot will start at $4-million to show buyers that the game is delivering bigger jackpots, Mr. Pister said.

Lottery Post Staff

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starchild_45's avatarstarchild_45

well it is about darn time. i like playing this lotto just to piss my bank off. i get the canadian checks and they hate cashing the checks from the lotto corporation. so i am off tommorrow to cross the border to get me another subscription lotto ticket in BC. Hey it could happen.

Jake649's avatarJake649

It looks like players like the new format. Sales were relatively high for the first draw at $17.3 million. The jackpot was $4.7 million (above the $4 million minimum).

The estimated jackpot for the Saturday draw is $10 million. I predict it will go over $10 million. The next two jackpots (June 9 and June 12) will be a minimum of $17 million and $25 million respectively as part of a bonus promotion to boost the new format.

Good luck,
Jake

starchild_45's avatarstarchild_45

that sounds wonderful. i like the 6/49 because i seem to hit on it a fair amount of time. i hope it soars to the heights that the american pots. it would be nice to see a 100 million pot their and me winning it. i would definitely figure out someway to keep the money up there and not report it down here. i will just have to be happy with my 10 and 20 dollar wins that i get. thanks for the information my canadian friend.

CASH Only

If Canadians accept a $2 online game, perhaps US players will soon get used to it.

qutgnt

God bless Canada.  The bonus jackpots and the tax free cash.  I wish I lived closer as I would gladly blow all my money in Canada.

Jake649's avatarJake649

The June 5 jackpot exceeded $10 million as predicted. It reached $10.9 million. The jackpot was won but the next two jackpots will still be $17 million and $25 million as part of a bonus jackpot promotion for the new format.

gutgnt, glad to hear you are willing to blow all your money in Canada. If you are serious, I would suggest trying to find a Canadian lottery pool. It seems though, that most people on this forum are not interested in playing in a pool.

Good luck,
Jake

lottoshlep's avatarlottoshlep

"The decision was

Jake649's avatarJake649

Lottery corporations want to make more money. To make more money, they need to increase sales. They see the same trend that we all see - large jackpots generate high sales. It is even evident in this forum. When the US jackpots are large, people go out of their way to buy tickets either online or by driving to other states.

Canadian lotteries had two choices to get larger jackpots (and higher sales). Increase the odds or increase the price. In the US, the trend has been to increase the odds. For example Powerabll is at 120 million to 1 and Mega Millions is at 135 million to 1.

Now if you spend $10 in the US and get 10 Mega Millions tickets, the odds are now 13.5 million to 1. In Canada, $10 gets you 5 Lotto 649 tickets with odds of 2.8 million to 1. So even with the higher price, the Canadian options appears to be the better choice.

Good luck,
Jake

CASH Only

PA Match 6, and the coming Massachusetts Cash Winfall.

Who will be next in the US to offer a $2-per-play lotto?

qutgnt

I enjoy Encore as well Jake, one day I will hit that sob.  I won big at Windsor once and blew 1000 bucks on playing lotto and having each lotto ticket have 10 encores.  I gotta go back soon to cash the winners!  ( even though i lost like 750)!

lottoshlep's avatarlottoshlep
Quote: O
lottoshlep's avatarlottoshlep

Btw, the govt only sur

lottoshlep's avatarlottoshlep
Quote: O
CASH Only

I'll make that 24 cents.

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