LOTTO MAX is one of the most popular national lottery games in Canada. Every Friday, LOTTO MAX offers players a chance to win life-changing jackpot prizes worth millions of dollars. In addition to the main jackpot, MAXMILLIONS prizes of $1 million are also up for grabs. With such exciting top prizes, it’s no wonder LOTTO MAX is a household name across Canada.
The History of LOTTO MAX
LOTTO MAX first launched on September 25, 2009 as a new nationwide lottery game meant to replace Lotto Super 7. At the time, Lotto Super 7 was struggling with declining popularity and LOTTO MAX was introduced by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation as a way to reinvigorate national lottery games in Canada. The launch of LOTTO MAX brought larger jackpot sizes and better overall odds of winning to get players excited about playing the lottery once again.
The very first LOTTO MAX draw took place on September 25, 2009 with a jackpot of $10 million. Excitement around the new game was high from the start. By the time of the second LOTTO MAX draw on October 2, 2009, the jackpot had already climbed to $15 million as Lotto Super 7 players transitioned over to the new game. Early LOTTO MAX jackpot winners included a $17 million jackpot won on October 16, 2009 and a $50 million jackpot won on November 6, 2009.
Over its first decade in existence, LOTTO MAX continued to grow more and more popular across Canada. Larger starting jackpots were introduced along with more regular MAXMILLIONS prizes to help drive interest and sales. Today, LOTTO MAX is one of the top performing national lottery games in Canada and shows no signs of slowing down.
How to Play LOTTO MAX
Playing LOTTO MAX requires selecting seven numbers from a field of 1 to 50. There are several ways to fill out a selection slip:
- Quick Pick: Have the lottery terminal randomly generate your seven numbers
- Selection Slip: Choose seven numbers manually and fill them into the selection slip
- Online: Purchase and fill out your LOTTO MAX selection online
- Mobile App: Use the official lottery app to pick numbers and purchase tickets
Every LOTTO MAX play costs $5 for three sets of seven numbers. For each draw, seven winning numbers are drawn along with a bonus number. The more numbers a player matches, the bigger their prize:
| Matches | Prize |
|---|---|
| 7/7 | Jackpot |
| 6/7 + Bonus | $100,000 |
| 6/7 | $20,000 |
| 5/7 | $1,000 |
| 4/7 | $50 |
| 3/7 | $10 |
The LOTTO MAX jackpot starts at $10 million and continues growing until it is won. There can be up to four $1 million MAXMILLIONS prizes in each draw as well.
“Live your dreams to the MAX!”
The official slogan of LOTTO MAX is “Live your dreams to the MAX!” This catchy and inspirational phrase nicely captures the aspirational nature of playing LOTTO MAX. With potential prize payouts in the tens of millions of dollars, LOTTO MAX lets players dream about how they could live their best lives if they were to win it big.
The “Live your dreams to the MAX” slogan speaks to the unmatched excitement and anticipation generated by LOTTO MAX jackpot draws. Even just the act of playing gives people an outlet to imagine luxurious vacations, fancy homes, dream cars, early retirement, and more. LOTTO MAX lets people aspire for the stars.
Of course, very few players actually beat the long odds to win the jackpot or a MAXMILLIONS prize. But the slogan encourages optimism and big dreaming, even if it is statistically unlikely. Playing the lottery is as much about the journey as the destination for many Canadian lottery lovers.
“Live your dreams to the MAX” is an uplifting motto that taps into both the hopes and emotions that make LOTTO MAX so enjoyable for millions of players. The slogan captures the essence of LOTTO MAX and the energy it brings every Friday night.
Notable LOTTO MAX Winners
Since its launch in 2009, LOTTO MAX has produced dozens of millionaire winners across Canada. Notable big prize winners include:
- A Brampton, Ontario couple who claimed a $70 million jackpot in November 2018.
- A Calgary woman who scored a massive $65 million jackpot in October 2018.
- A group of oil workers from Newfoundland who split a $60 million prize in July 2017.
- A Richmond, British Columbia man who took home a $50 million jackpot in February 2014.
- A widow from Montreal who donated large portions of her $27 million jackpot win to charity in January 2014.
LOTTO MAX has also produced multiple winners of massive MAXMILLIONS $1 million prizes over the years:
- 33 MAXMILLIONS prizes were won and shared across Canada on a record draw in June 2018.
- A retiree from Manitoba claimed one of four MAXMILLIONS prizes in November 2016.
- 14 different $1 million prizes were awarded to ticket holders from Alberta to Nova Scotia in October 2016.
These are just a few examples of the life-changing LOTTO MAX jackpots and MAXMILLIONS prizes that players have woken up to after nights of anticipation and dreaming big.
How Jackpots Grow
LOTTO MAX jackpots grow to staggering totals because the top prize rolls over every draw until there is a winner. The jackpot starts at $10 million, but if no player matches all seven numbers, that $10 million carries forward to the next draw and keeps building from there.
Rollovers happen frequently because the odds of matching all seven numbers to win the jackpot are estimated around 1 in 33 million. To put that in perspective, a player is over 15 times more likely to get struck by lightning in their lifetime than to hit the LOTTO MAX jackpot on a single play.
It takes an average of around 9-14 draws for the LOTTO MAX jackpot to be won. But it’s also possible for the top prize to roll over many more times before a lucky player finally takes it home. The record for longest LOTTO MAX roll streak saw the jackpot grow for 25 straight draws before being claimed for $70 million in October 2018.
As the jackpot totals climb higher and higher, more players tend to jump into the action trying to win. This increases ticket sales and pushes the jackpot even higher. The cycle continues until there’s finally a winner who matches all seven numbers.
Probabilities of Winning
The odds of winning a LOTTO MAX prize are as follows:
| Prize | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|
| Jackpot | 1 in 33,294,800 |
| MAXMILLIONS | 1 in 28,633,528 |
| Exact Match Bonus | 1 in 3,764,376 |
| Share of 6/7 | 1 in 113,248 |
| Share of 5/7 | 1 in 37,749 |
| Share of 4/7 | 1 in 1,841 |
| Share of 3/7 | 1 in 81 |
As these odds show, matching all seven numbers for the jackpot or six numbers plus the bonus for a MAXMILLIONS prize is exceedingly rare. But thousands of lesser LOTTO MAX prizes are won in every weekly draw. Lower tier prizes of $10, $50 or $1,000 are still fantastic rewards.
Jackpot Winners
Over 300 jackpot winners have been created by LOTTO MAX since its inception, each taking home at least $10 million. The three biggest LOTTO MAX jackpots to date include:
- $70 million – Won by a group of 20 coworkers from Ontario in October 2018.
- $65 million – Won by a single ticket holder from Calgary in October 2018.
- $60 million – Split between 12 oil workers from Newfoundland in July 2017.
Other notable jackpot amounts won include:
- $55 million – One winning ticket from Ontario in November 2016.
- $50 million – Split by a group of 7 friends in Ontario in February 2014.
- $49 million – One winning ticket from Quebec in June 2013.
- $48 million – One winning ticket from BC in April 2013.
The average LOTTO MAX jackpot winner takes home around $15-$20 million. But as these many examples show, eight and nine-figure jackpot amounts are not uncommon.
MAXMILLIONS Winners
In addition to the jackpot, LOTTO MAX players can win one of multiple $1 million MAXMILLIONS prizes in every draw. Over 1,500 MAXMILLIONS prizes have been claimed since their introduction in May 2014.
The all-time record for MAXMILLIONS prizes awarded came on June 22, 2018 when an incredible 33 prizes of $1 million each were won and split across Canada. Other notable MAXMILLIONS results include:
- 22 MAXMILLIONS prizes won on May 14, 2019.
- 21 MAXMILLIONS prizes won on March 1, 2019.
- 19 MAXMILLIONS prizes won on June 12, 2015.
- 17 MAXMILLIONS prizes won on October 13, 2017.
Having multiple MAXMILLIONS prizes up for grabs helps generate extra excitement on big jackpot draws. Players love the chance to become instant millionaires even if they don’t hit the main jackpot.
Record Jackpots
The largest LOTTO MAX jackpot in history reached an epic $70 million on the October 9, 2018 draw after going unclaimed for 25 consecutive rolls. Two weeks later, the jackpot record was matched again at $70 million for the October 23, 2018 draw.
Prior to 2018, LOTTO MAX had set new jackpot records with:
- $65 million in June 2018
- $60 million in May 2018
- $60 million in July 2017
- $55 million in May 2015
As lottery fever swept the nation, Canadians from coast to coast dreamed about what they would do with these massive jackpot prizes. Even though the odds of winning were infinitesimally small, LOTTO MAX created major anticipation and buzz whenever a new record was set.
With jackpots starting at $10 million and frequently reaching into the tens of millions, it’s always an exciting time to play LOTTO MAX and dream big.
Where the Money Goes
As a national lottery game, LOTTO MAX contributes significant funding to good causes across Canada. The specific beneficiaries and percentages vary by province, but in general:
- 50% goes towards jackpot prizing
- 20% towards MAXMILLIONS prizing
- 12-15% towards provincial government programs and community groups
- 8-12% towards retailer commissions
- 5-8% towards operating expenses
Millions of dollars from every LOTTO MAX draw are funnelled into hospitals, amateur sports, environment programs, health research, education, infrastructure and countless other important initiatives funded or supported by provincial governments.
For instance, Ontario directs its LOTTO MAX revenue to the Ontario Trillium Foundation which provides grants for community and social service projects. B.C. uses its share for hospitals and housing programs. supporting health care, arts and culture.
By playing LOTTO MAX, players are contributing to the greater social good in addition to having a chance to win life-changing prizes for themselves. It’s a win-win scenario.
Buying Tickets
There are several convenient ways to purchase LOTTO MAX tickets in Canada:
- In Person – Fill out a selection slip at an authorized lottery retailer.
- Quick Pick – Ask for a computer-generated quick pick at a lottery retailer.
- Online – Create an account at PlayNow.com to buy tickets online.
- Mobile App – Download the PlayNow app to play on your mobile device.
- By Phone – Call the PlayNow support centre to purchase by phone.
- Subscription – Set up recurring ticket purchases for draws.
Players must be at least 18 or 19 years old (depending on province) to buy lottery tickets. Tickets can not be purchased by credit card – only cash, debit and PlayNow account balances are accepted as payment.
It’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement leading up to the LOTTO MAX draw every Friday. With jackpots that can reach into the tens of millions, it’s no wonder that dreams of winning big can turn into reality for some lucky Canadians.