What Are the Big Changes That Have Come To Lotto Max Canada

Lotto Max is the most popular lottery in Canada and this lottery has big changes all the years through. The Canadian lotteries have introduced many new things to this popular lottery including jackpot structures, ticket pricing, draw frequencies, rules to play.

Lotto Max Changes

Lott Max was introduced in 2009, as a lottery game that offered multiple $50 million jackpots a year. Then in 2015, the jackpot cap increased to $60 million, offering players an even bigger jackpot experience.

With the new Lotto Max gearing up to increase the main jackpot cap to $70 million, opportunities to become a millionaire with Maxmillions will continue when the jackpot reaches and exceeds $50 million.

These changes came into effect from 2019.

The new Lotto Max enhancements follow an extensive game design process that included consultation with lottery players across the country.

Lotto Max is the game that gives you a chance to “Dream to the MAX!” Lotto Max jackpots start at an estimated $10 million and can grow to $80 million! Once the Lotto Max jackpot reaches $50 million, additional prizes of $1 million called MAXMILLIONS are also drawn while the jackpot keeps growing!

1. Jackpot Structure

• Increased cap: The Lotto Max jackpot cap was raised from $70 million to $80 million starting with the Sept. 10, 2024 draw. This is the highest cap ever offered in a Canadian lottery.
• Starting jackpot: The jackpot still starts at $10 million and grows by increments each draw until won. After a jackpot win, it resets to $10 million (plus any unclaimed $1M “MaxMillions” prizes).
• MaxMillions prizes: The $1 million “MaxMillions” supplementary draws continue as before when the jackpot reaches $50 million. In other words, for every $50 M+ in the prize pool, additional $1 M draws are held (up to 14 MaxMillions at an $80 M jackpot)
• Odds unchanged: Raising the cap did not affect the odds; they remain about 1 in 33,294,800 per $5 play for the jackpot.

Provincial corporations (OLG, Loto‑Québec, Atlantic Lottery, BCLC, WCLC) jointly announced the $80 M cap in March 2024.

2. Draw Schedule

Cut-off time: Ticket sales cut off at the usual time (10:30 p.m. local time on draw days). All draw days and deadlines stayed the same as prior to 2024. There will be two brand-new prize categories:

Twice-weekly draws: Draws remain bi-weekly every Tuesday and Friday. No new draw days were added in 2024 or 2025.

• Match 5/7+bonus
• Match 4/7+bonus

Numbers will be selected from 1 to 50 and the odds of 1 in 33,294,800 per $5 play. The overall odds to win is 1 in 7 per $5 play.

3. Ticket Price

• Price unchanged: The ticket cost remains $5 per play which covers three selections of seven numbers. There was no price increase in 2024–25.
• Play format: Each $5 play still offers three lines of 7 numbers (1–50) plus the bonus number line (no change to the play format).

4. Game Rules

• Number matrix: Lotto Max continues to draw 7 main numbers (1–50) plus one bonus number. There were no changes to the draw mechanics.
• Prize structure: All prize tiers remain the same. Matching 7/7 wins the jackpot; 6/7+bonus, 6/7, 5/7+bonus, etc., award fixed prizes as before. The game conditions and prize categories were unchanged when the jackpot cap was raised.
• Prize odds: The overall odds of winning any prize (approximately 1 in 7 per $5 play) and the odds for each tier (e.g. 1 in ~33.3M for the jackpot) are unchanged

Your Lotto Max Lottery Subscription will continue unless you decide you’d like to change it. The Lotto will automatically purchase the Tuesday draw so you won’t miss a jackpot! You will just need to ensure that you have sufficient funds in your account for both the Tuesday and Friday draws.

If you would like to add the 50th number to your Lotto Max Lottery Subscription, you can do so by updating your selection.

Lotto Max is governed by the Rules and Regulations Respecting Lotteries and Lottery Tickets of Interprovincial Lottery Corporation (“ILC”)

Each play is comprised of 3 selections of 7 numbers from 1 to 50, inclusive.

To participate, any eligible person must present a completed Lotto Max selection slip or request a ticket where all selections are computer generated, and pay $5 for each play per draw

or

Remit a winning ticket entitling such person to a free play, whereupon a ticket will then be issued showing the draw date(s), the 3 selections for each play, the amount wagered or FREE PLAY in the case of a free play (which is deemed to be a $5 amount wagered), the control number(s) and other relevant information.

On each draw date, or as soon as possible thereafter, ILC will cause seven main numbers and one bonus number (being eight different numbers) to be drawn at random from among all numbers from 1 to 50 (the “Main Draw”).

5. Play Lotto Extra and Encore or Tag with Lotto Max

1. Add-on games: Regional add-ons (e.g. Encore in Ontario/Quebec, Extra/Tag/Twist in western/Atlantic provinces) continued unchanged. No new national add-on game was introduced. All existing add-ons remain available as before.
2. Special draws: The standard MaxMillions draws and the occasional “Super Draws” or promotional events (e.g. extra $25K prizes) continued as scheduled, but these did not involve permanent rule changes to Lotto Max itself.

Canadian lottery corporations operate a regional add-on games that, for an extra $1 each, that can be added to a Lotto Max ticket. This “spiel” game (named “Tag”, “Encore” or “Extra” depending on the region), adds a 6- or 7-digit number to the ticket with a top prize of $100,000 if all six digits are matched or $250,000 to $1,000,000 depending on the region for a seven-number match ($1,000,000 in Ontario and Quebec; $250,000 in the Western Canada region of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the territories).

Loto-Québec and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation also run local versions of Lotto Max, known as Québec Max and Western Max respectively. These draws are held on the same night as each Lotto Max draw and have similar payouts, but with a fixed jackpot of $2,000,000, and additional drawings for a pool of 7 (Quebec) or 10 (Western) $1,000,000 prizes on each draw, similarly to MaxMillions.

Lotto Max selection slips offer the ability for players to choose between Lotto Max, the regional game, or to play both games using the same numbers.

Loto-Québec is the only region out of all five regions allowing players to select all 3 lines for a $5.00 play instead of the 2nd and 3rd mandatory computer generated combinations.

6. Dollarama Quick Tickets Introduced

Ontario added Dollarama stores as new retailers. Dollarama began selling $5 “QuickTicket” Lotto Max tickets (pre-printed Quick Pick for the next draw, no Encore add-on) in late 2024. By early 2025, over 600 Dollarama stores in Ontario offered these QuickTickets, expanding convenience for players.

In addition to Dollarama, lottery corporations continued routine retailer additions. For example, OLG also added Dollarama QuickTickets in 2024 to expand retail access.

Finally remember that this game enhancements are the result of an extensive game design process that included consultation with lottery players across the country.