Canada Lotto Max: Official Guide, Rules, Odds & How to Play
What is Canada Lotto Max lottery?
Lotto Max is Canada's premier national lottery game, known for its massive jackpots and unique MaxMillions prizes. It replaced the former Lotto Super 7 in 2009 and has since become one of Canada's most popular lottery games.
Lotto Max drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 pm ET. Tickets cost C$1.66 for 3 plays.
Did You Know?
Lotto Max features unique "MaxMillions" prizes - when the jackpot reaches C$50 million or more, additional C$1 million prizes are created, giving players more chances to become millionaires!
How to play Canada Lotto Max lottery?
Players select seven numbers from 1 to 50. Each C$5 ticket gives you 3 plays (lines). You win the jackpot by matching all seven winning numbers in a drawing.
The jackpot starts at C$10 million and is capped at C$70 million. When the jackpot reaches C$50 million or more, additional MaxMillions prizes of C$1 million each are added.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Choose 7 main numbers from 1 to 50 for each play
- Get 3 plays automatically with each C$5 ticket
- Consider Extra for additional prize opportunities
- Wait for the draw on Tuesday or Friday at 23:00 ET
- Check your numbers and claim your prize!
MaxMillions Feature
When the jackpot reaches C$50 million or more, Lotto Max creates additional C$1 million prizes called "MaxMillions." The number of MaxMillions prizes depends on the jackpot size, with up to 50 additional C$1 million prizes available when the jackpot is capped at C$70 million!
Odds to win Canada Lotto Max prizes
Lotto Max offers excellent overall odds with multiple ways to win, including the unique MaxMillions feature!
| Winning Selections | Odds (3 Plays) | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Match 7 numbers | 1 in 33,294,800 | Jackpot or share of 87.25% of Pools Fund |
| Match 6 + bonus number | 1 in 4,756,400 | Share of 2.5% of Pools Fund |
| Match 6 numbers | 1 in 113,248 | Share of 2.5% of Pools Fund |
| Match 5 + bonus number | 1 in 37,749 | Share of 1.5% of Pools Fund |
| Match 5 numbers | 1 in 1,841 | Share of 3.5% of Pools Fund |
| Match 4 + bonus number | 1 in 1,105 | Share of 2.75% of Pools Fund |
| Match 4 numbers | 1 in 82.9 | C$20.00 |
| Match 3 + bonus number | 1 in 82.9 | C$20.00 |
| Match 3 numbers | 1 in 8.5 | Free Play (worth C$5.00) |
Overall odds of winning any prize: 1 in 7 (per C$5 play with 3 lines)
Understanding Lotto Max Odds
Important: Official odds are calculated based on playing 3 lines (the minimum purchase). If you play only a single line, the actual odds are 3 times higher. The C$5 ticket automatically gives you 3 chances to win!
Prize Pool Distribution
Lotto Max uses a unique prize pool system where percentages of the prize fund are allocated to different prize tiers:
Lotto Max Odds Calculations
Let's examine how the unique odds for Lotto Max are calculated with its 7/50 matrix.
Total Combinations
There are 50 numbers to pick from, and you choose 7. The number of ways to choose 7 numbers from 50 is:
That means there are nearly 100 million possible combinations for a single play.
3-Play Advantage
Since each C$5 ticket gives you 3 plays, your effective odds improve:
This is why the official jackpot odds are 1 in 33,294,800 instead of 1 in 99,884,400.
Why Lotto Max Has Great Overall Odds
With 1 in 7 overall odds of winning any prize, Lotto Max offers some of the best chances in major lottery games. This is because:
- Matching just 3 numbers wins a free play
- Multiple prize tiers with good probabilities
- 3 plays per ticket triples your chances
- MaxMillions provide additional winning opportunities
Winning vs Losing Combinations
After each Lotto Max draw, the distribution of combinations is:
Winning Probability Calculations
In Lotto Max, you pick 7 numbers from 1 to 50. The number of combinations that win any prize after each draw is calculated as follows:
Total Number of Combinations
The total number of ways to choose 7 numbers from 50 is given by:
Winning Combinations Breakdown
Let's calculate all the winning combinations for each prize tier:
| Prize Tier | Winning Combinations | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Match 3 numbers | 4,312,500 | \( \binom{7}{3} \times \binom{43}{4} = 35 \times 123,225 = 4,312,500 \) |
| Match 4 numbers | 431,435 | \( \binom{7}{4} \times \binom{43}{3} = 35 \times 12,327 = 431,435 \) |
| Match 4 numbers + Bonus | 61,633 | \( \binom{7}{4} \times \binom{43}{2} \times \binom{1}{1} = 35 \times 903 \times 1 = 31,605 \) |
| Match 5 numbers | 18,963 | \( \binom{7}{5} \times \binom{43}{2} = 21 \times 903 = 18,963 \) |
| Match 5 numbers + Bonus | 2,709 | \( \binom{7}{5} \times \binom{43}{1} \times \binom{1}{1} = 21 \times 43 \times 1 = 903 \) |
| Match 6 numbers | 301 | \( \binom{7}{6} \times \binom{43}{1} = 7 \times 43 = 301 \) |
| Match 6 numbers + Bonus | 43 | \( \binom{7}{6} \times \binom{1}{1} = 7 \times 1 = 7 \) |
| Match 7 numbers | 1 | \( \binom{7}{7} = 1 \) |
| Total Winning Combinations | 4,762,200 |
Non-Winning Combinations
Conclusion
Therefore, there are 4,762,200 combinations (4.77%) that win any prize in each Lotto Max drawing, while 95,122,200 combinations (95.23%) win nothing.
Probability Insight
Your chance of winning ANY prize in Lotto Max is approximately 1 in 21, which is better than the jackpot odds of 1 in 99.9 million! Remember, each C$5 ticket gives you 3 plays, improving your effective odds to about 1 in 7 for winning any prize.
3-Play Ticket Advantage
Each Lotto Max ticket costs C$5 and includes 3 separate plays (lines), significantly improving your chances:
MaxMillions Feature
When the jackpot reaches C$50 million or more, Lotto Max creates additional C$1 million prizes:
MaxMillions creates more millionaires in a single draw than any other Canadian lottery!
Note: Lotto Max offers excellent value with its 3-play ticket system and unique MaxMillions feature. While the jackpot odds are challenging, your overall chances of winning any prize are reasonable, especially considering you get three attempts with each ticket.
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Explore Winning StrategiesNotable Changes & History
On May 14, 2019, Lotto Max underwent significant changes:
- Added Tuesday Drawing: Became twice-weekly (Tuesdays & Fridays)
- Expanded Number Field: Changed from 7/49 to 7/50 matrix
- Increased Jackpot Cap: Raised from C$60 million to C$70 million
- New Prize Tiers: Added two additional prize categories
- Enhanced MaxMillions: More C$1 million prizes when jackpot grows
Ticket price increased to support larger jackpots:
- New Price: Increased from C$3 to C$5 per play
- Maintained Value: Still included 3 selections per ticket
- Jackpot Growth: Enabled faster jackpot accumulation
Lotto Max launched as the replacement for Lotto Super 7:
- Initial Format: 7/49 matrix with C$10 million starting jackpot
- Innovative Feature: Introduced MaxMillions prizes National Game: Available across all Canadian provinces
- Initial Price: C$3 per play (3 selections)
Lotto Max was developed to revitalize Canada's lottery market:
- Market Research: Studied player preferences for larger jackpots
- Unique Concept: Created MaxMillions for multiple millionaires
- Provincial Agreement: All Canadian lottery corporations participated
- Replacement Strategy: Designed to replace aging Lotto Super 7
Source: Wikipedia
