The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation says you’ll never see huge Powerball-related payouts here in Canada because of the much larger population base in the United States. The Multi-State Lottery Association estimates that the Powerball jackpot is now at a record $1.9 billion. Here in Canada, the highest amount won in Lotto Max was $140 million in 2021. “In Canada, Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 are also played nationally, but with a significantly smaller population base than the US,” said OLG spokesman Tony Bitonti. “Lottery companies across Canada need to create games and jackpot structures that are sustainable.” The Lotto Max jackpot is capped at $70 million. But when the jackpot reaches $50 million, the Maxmillions – additional $1 million prizes that increase each time the jackpot is not won – begin to accumulate. Bitonti says the odds between Powerball and Lotto Max also differ because of the structure of the games. “In Powerball, you must pick five numbers from one to 69 and one number from one to 26 for the Powerball bonus. The odds of matching five numbers and the Powerball are one in 292,201,338,” he said. “In Lotto Max, you have to pick seven out of 50 numbers to win the jackpot. The odds of matching a seven are one in 33,294,800 per $5 game.” Bitonti says the biggest difference between Canadian lotteries and US lotteries is that Canadian lottery prizes are paid out in a lump sum and are tax-free.
