Ontario Online Lottery

The Ontario Gaming Corporation oversees and regulates the provincial and national draws, scratch cards, and a selection of online games.

From its humble beginnings in 1975, the Ontario Lottery has evolved into an exciting contest, even paying out a massive $70 million jackpot in 2021.

At bestodds.com, we aim to provide you with the best information on how you can get more from your gaming experience. On this page, we have included details about giant jackpot draw games in Ontario.

You will also find tips on how to win and claim prizes, and also on responsible gaming.

How The Ontario Lottery Works

At the helm of gambling regulation, is the Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG). It is in charge of lotteries, horse racing, casinos, and charity gambling. You can find OLG offices in Sault St. Marie and in Toronto.

Now, the work done by the OLG is not a joke. The Ontario gambling scene is vibrant and there is always something going on.

Each night, Monday through Saturday, they distribute million-dollar prize draws. Smaller games are also happening multiple times throughout the day.

Buy Tickets Online Or At Retail Outlets

There are two ways for you to get lottery tickets in Ontario. First, you can register online at OLG.ca. Here you can even opt for weekly subscriptions.

You also gain access to slots and other instant games. There is also an app that you can download, it allows you to check the latest numbers on the go.

If the online option does not sit well with you, you can just make your way to a retail outlet and do it the old-fashioned way. You will be required to provide a selection of your winning numbers.

Using the quick pick feature, this can be a unique selection or a random one.

How To Claim Lottery Winnings In Ontario

In Ontario, the amount you win determines the claiming process. Let us explain.

  • < $1,000 – paid out by retail sites
  • < $ 50,000 – you can claim by mail or schedule an appointment at the OLG Corporate Office
  • $50,000+ – first, call the OLG prize center on 1-800-387-0098 to validate your ticket. If everything checks out, you need to make an appointment and get your cash.

Lotteries are tax-free, so you can keep all your winnings.

Ontario Lottery Games

So, besides the main draws, what else is there in Ontario? Well, quite a lot actually.

  • National draws: Lotto Max, the Daily Grand, Lotto 6/49
  • Ontario Draws: Ontario/49 twice a week
  • Scratch tickets: up to $3 million is up for grabs, and you can check which tickets haven’t been won online
  • Instant games: online scratch cards
  • Online casino: progressive slots, video poker, and table games
  • Sports betting: played through the pro-line system

Ontario Lottery Draws

Ontario has kept things simple. There are 3 national draws to choose from.

Lotto Max

For $5, you get 3 sets of 7 numbers. You have options to choose the numbers for line one, but you leave everything else to the terminal, and it will pick all the lines for you.

This is a progressive jackpot, and the prize starts at $10 million. This number will balloon up to $70 million until someone wins it. The draw is conducted on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:30 pm ET.

So has anyone ever landed this prize? Yes indeed, 75 times. In total, Lotto Max has paid out over $5 billion, the latest $70 million jackpot dropping in February 2021.

Lotto 6/49

The name pretty much gives it away. Doesn’t it? This ticket gives you 6 numbers from a selection spanning 1 to 49. For just $3, you also get a unique 10-digit number on each ticket that is used when drawing the $1 million guaranteed jackpot.

The 6/49 jackpot starts at $5 million but then goes up until someone wins it. Twice a week, players have the chance to cash in on the big one. More winnings can be had in the Encore side game. For an extra $1, you can get in on this bonus game, which has a jackpot of $1 million.

We know you want to hear if anyone has landed the Lotto 6/49 jackpot. Yes, in October 2015, a player in Mississauga walked away with $64 million.

The Daily Grand

Imagine getting $1,000 every day for the rest of your life. This is what a $3 Daily Grand ticket can get you in Ontario. If you prefer a lump sum payment, that’s fine as well.

You can bag $7 million once-off. To win, you need only select five main numbers out of 49, and a Grand number from 1 to 7.

To win the jackpot, all your picks should match. If you get the 5 numbers but then miss the Grand number, you win $25,000 a year for life or $500,000 once off. Look out for the draw every Monday and Thursday.

Online Lottery Games In Ontario

Provincial draws are also up for grabs.

  • Ontario 49: You can get into this game for only $1. It involves picking 6 out of 49 numbers. Draws are on Wednesday and Saturday, and the max prize is $2 million.
  • Daily Keno: Choose between 2 and 10 numbers from a selection of 70. Stakes are fixed at $1, $2, $5, and $10. The top prize is $2.5 million.
  • Lottario: One ticket earns you two bites of the cherry in this one. The first set is for the initial draw of the day, which pays out $50,000. The main draw comes later and can get you $250,000.
  • Lightning Lotto: Lightning lotto tickets cost $2 a pop. You get three selections with numbers from one to 49. This game works differently because you already know the winning numbers before you buy a ticket.
  • Poker Lotto: As the name implies, this is a mix between lottery games and poker. You win by either matching card symbols in the main draw, or by the strength of your hand. Tickets in Poker lotto cost $2.
  • Wheel of Fortune lotto: You can either win instant prizes by watching the spinning prize wheel of a lottery terminal screen. A nightly draw is also conducted where players win by matching three or more words. You need only put up $2 to take part in the Wheel of Fortune lotto.
  • Megadice lotto: A $2 ticket in the megadice lotto gives you two chances of winning. There are two ways to win, the instant dice game, or the more conventional six-number lottery draw. Winnings can go up to $100,000 in the main draw and $7,500 for the instant game.

Ontario Lottery Draw Schedule

Every day, at 10:30 p.m. eastern time, there’s always a big draw on the cards. The only exception is on Sundays.

  • Monday: Daily Grand
  • Tuesday: Lotto Max
  • Wednesday: Lotto 6/49, Ontario/49
  • Thursday: Daily Grand
  • Friday: Lotto Max
  • Saturday: Lotto 6/49, Ontario/49

Ontario Lottery Scratch Tickets

The Ontario lottery also hosts scratch card ticket games purchased at retail outlets. These tickets are usually from $1 to $30 and carry a million-dollar jackpot.

Electronic alternatives to these games are also available on the OLG website. Here are some examples.

  • The Lucky Line Express: for only $1 you can purchase the Lucky Line Express scratch ticket. This game has a top prize of $10,000. Getting started is easy. Just scratch the twelve-dollar logos and reveal the symbols that lie beneath. In games one and two, scratch the corresponding symbols to complete one row.
  • Triple millions: there is a lot happening on this ticket, so it’s not surprising that it goes for $30. You get four games in total, three of which you win by revealing three matching symbols. The fourth game involves matching lucky numbers. Triple millions has 10 prizes of $3 million. The total pot in this game is $250 million. You can also uncover the stack of cash symbols to win $100 instantly.

Now, here is a pro tip. Before purchasing scratch tickets in any game, do your research. Find out if there are any big jackpot prizes that haven’t been won yet.

This is easy and only takes a visit to the Ontario lottery website for you to get started.

Ontario Lottery Instant Games

Scratch tickets are also found through instant games. These are the online equivalent of ordinary scratch tickets you will find in retail outlets. You purchase these tickets from $10 up to $30 or just choose the stake you’re comfortable with.

The variety of online games available in Ontario is extensive. Examples that you may want to check out include the Wheel of Fortune and the Price is Right, among others.

It is easy to get carried away with the themes featured in many of these games. But keep in mind that these are still gambling titles, and the risk of loss is always apparent.

Casino Games On The Lottery Platform

Online casino games are another popular alternative if you are looking for regulated gambling action in Ontario. You can play these games legally via the OLG website. Table games, slots, instant win casino games, and video poker, it’s all available here.

So, what type of games can you enjoy in Ontario? Well, if you have experience in mainstream online casinos, then the titles available here will not be new. The lobby plays host to games like DaVinci Diamonds, Cleopatra, and 88 fortunes, just to mention a few.

It’s not all about slots when you play online casino games in Ontario. Here you can also find roulette, blackjack, poker, bingo, keno, and others.

Video poker enthusiasts will also enjoy titles from this game category. Ontario has nine popular variations of the Game King terminal and there are other separate multi-hand games as well.

If you are unsure about playing these online casino games in Ontario, let us tell you right now. Big wins drop consistently here. You can check it out for yourself on the OLG website where they keep a list of all the recent wins.

Sports Picks Games On The Lottery Platform

Sports betting is not being neglected in Ontario. You can access this service through the Pro-line sports betting portal.

  • Pro-line: here you pick either the visiting or home team and receive corresponding odds
  • Pools: your pick is placed into a player pool with other selections. If your selection is successful, your payout is determined by the number of other successful picks in the player pool
  • Point spread: you win if the team you pick successfully covers the spread. This makes the contest a real 50/50 pick
  • Props: props are based on events within the game but whose outcome is no bearing on the overall result.

Ontario Lottery Responsible Gaming

To ensure that player safety is catered to, Ontario gambling regulators have put in place Play Smart. This program is designed to help players recognize and act against signs of problem gambling.

A collection of educational material and video tutorials has been created to help with this cause.

Ontario gambling platforms also have budgets and time limits that you can institute to ensure you do not fall into gambling addiction.

Players can also enter the self-exclusion program voluntarily if the pressure becomes overwhelming.

Corporate Responsibility

While many gambling critics will point to the potential harms of casino games, Ontario, through the OLG corporate social responsibility mandate, is reaping positive social benefits for players in its jurisdiction.

Since the launch of the Ontario lottery in 1975, more than $55 billion has gone to various noble causes.

Recent projects that have benefited from this money include various government initiatives, host communities, and a plethora of Ontario local charities.

To show a commitment to the eradication of problem gambling proceeds from the Ontario lottery also help in the reduction of gambling addiction.

Online Ontario Lottery

The range of options in Ontario is more than ample for any serious gambling enthusiast. You can pick from retail scratch cards, national and local draws, online instant games, and more. The winnings on offer are not too bad either.

What’s even more impressive is the manner in which proceeds from the Ontario lottery are being used for community development which other online lotteries in Canada have not done.

Even while you are playing these games, you can also be sure that you are playing your part towards a noble cause.