You play Lotto Max by picking seven numbers from 1 to 50. Draws are held on Tuesday and Friday nights at approximately 10:30pm Eastern Time. Ticket sales close on the night of the draw so you need to make sure you enter before the cut-off time.
Find out more about how Lotto Max works below and follow these steps to enter a draw:
Choose seven numbers from between 1 and 50, or opt for a Quick Pick which allows the numbers to be automatically generated. After choosing one line of numbers, you receive two further, random sets of seven numbers, giving each ticket three chances of winning.
You can opt to enter an additional game alongside Lotto Max. There are different options depending on where you live, for example you can play Tag or Twist in Atlantic Canada, or Encore in Ontario. Find out more about these provincial games, but you will just have to select the option on your playslip to take part.
Purchase your tickets to make sure you are in with a chance of winning. Each Lotto Max ticket costs $5 for the three sets of numbers entered into each draw. If you choose to play a supplementary game then this will add an extra fee onto your ticket price.
Visit the latest numbers page soon after the draw has taken place to check your ticket against the winning numbers to see if you have won a prize in any of the nine different tiers.
The exact process of how to fill out your Lotto Max selection card differs slightly by region, but is essentially the same. Start by marking the numbers you want to enter, or selecting the Quick Pick box. Move on to the next board if you want to choose another set of numbers. There is a box for you to indicate whether you want to enter your province’s add-on game. You can also specify how many consecutive draws you will be playing.
It is easy to read your ticket once it has been printed. Your three sets of numbers are printed on separate rows at the top of the ticket, followed by details of any associated games such as Encore or Extra if you have entered them.
If you’re not sure how to pick your Lotto Max numbers, you could use the Number Generator to create your own random sets. The advantage here is that that you can see which numbers are produced before you enter them into the next draw, so you can generate another set if you don’t fancy the ones that appear.
You can buy tickets for an upcoming draw right up until the numbers are selected. There is a short draw break while all the entries are processed and then the draw takes place. The specific cut-off time varies from region and is shown below. You can also check with your local shops when they stop selling tickets.
In each Lotto Max draw, seven balls numbered from 1 to 50 are randomly selected, followed by a Bonus Ball from the remaining 43 numbers. Draws are conducted by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation (ILC) in Toronto using a Random Number Generator (RNG).
The Bonus Ball is the eighth number selected in each draw. It is drawn to help create more prize categories - you are not required to pick one when you make your selections and there will be no Bonus Ball on your ticket.
For example, if you choose the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, and the numbers drawn are 1, 2, 3, 47, 48, 49 and 50, plus a Bonus Ball of 4, you would match three numbers plus the Bonus Ball.
If you match at least three of the seven main numbers and then the Bonus Ball also matches up with one of your other numbers, it will boost the value of any prizes you are due. For example, the Match 3 prize is a Free Play and the Match 3 + Bonus prize is $20.
You do not need to do anything extra to play Max Millions. This is a special game that is triggered once the Lotto Max jackpot reaches $50 million. You will be automatically entered into Max Millions draws at no additional cost. Go to the Max Millions page for more information.
