Lotto Max – Never Miss Your Chance at the Jackpot!
There are plenty of people who enjoy playing the lottery in Canada, and Lotto Max is one such lottery with a rich history. Ever since it was launched in 2009, it has frequently offered some of the biggest lotto prizes in Canada, with jackpots regularly reaching 8 figures.
The introduction of the additional MaxMillions game offers players more chances to become a Lotto Max millionaire. If you want to learn more about the Lotto Max lottery, you’ve come to the right place, as we are going to be talking about everything from its introduction to present-day success stories.
The Launch of Lotto Max
It was on Friday, September 25, 2009, when Lotto Max was launched as a replacement for Lotto Super 7. The best thing about Lotto Max was that it had a bigger minimum jackpot worth $10 million compared to the $2.5 million jackpot offered by Lotto Super 7.
Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise to learn that Lotto Max was an overnight success, managing to generate more revenue in its first 10 months than Lotto Super 7 managed in its biggest sales year.
Going On to 9 Figures
It was in the draw of July 6, 2012, when for the first time in the game’s history, the total value of the jackpot prizes on offer managed to hit the $100 million mark. The Lotto Max’s jackpot cap of $50 million was reached, and an additional 50 MaxMillions prizes worth $1 million were on offer.
A single ticket holder from Quebec won the entire Lotto Max jackpot in the July 6 draw, but only 17 of the MaxMillion prizes were won. The remaining MaxMillion prizes, worth $33 million, were then added to the jackpot of the following week.
Increasing the Jackpot Cap of the Lotto Max
The jackpot cap of the Lotto Max was increased from $50 million to $60 million on July 17, 2015. In that draw, a group of 20 Rona employees from Quebec won a $55 million jackpot from a single ticket. On September 25, 2015, the first draw to reach the $60 million jackpot cap took place.
That jackpot was won on 1 ticket that was sold in Brampton, Ontario, and became the second-largest lottery jackpot won by a single ticket in Canada.
Record Breaking Lotto Max Jackpots
It was on August 12, 2016, when a record-breaking total jackpot value of $102 million was reached. The Lotto Max jackpot hit its $60 million cap, with 42 MaxMillions prizes also offered. That feat was repeated on January 6, 2017, and was then surpassed on June 8, when 50 MaxMillions prizes were offered alongside the maximum jackpot.
It was on October 26, 2018, when the current record for the biggest Lotto Max prize pool ever offered was set. There 55 MaxMillions prizes were played for on top of the $60 million jackpot cap. A ticket holder in Edmonton won the main jackpot, but only 27 of the MaxMillions prizes were won, which meant that the remaining MaxMillions prizes rolled over into the next Lotto Max jackpot. Therefore, the starting jackpot for the following draw was set at $42 million.
Changes Made to the Lotto Max
May 14, 2019, saw major changes made to the Lotto Max, where the jackpot cap was increased to $70 million, and an additional Lotto Max draw was announced every Tuesday, with the ball pool increasing from 49 to 50. There were 2 prize tiers created, which gave players 9 possible prizes to win from playing the main game.
Biggest Ever Jackpots Won
The maximum jackpot of $70 million has been won several times since it was introduced in May 2019, and the biggest winners are as follows:
- January 7, 2020: The record for the biggest ever Lotto Max jackpot was broken by Adlin Lewis, a credit risk manager from Brampton, becoming the first person to win the $70 million prize. The jackpot had carried over from November 29, 2019, and reached the new $70 million jackpot cap for the first time ever on January 3, It took just one more draw for it to be won.
- February 25, 2020: The second $70 million jackpot of 2020 was won just 6 weeks after the first, and it went to Gregory Matthieu, a 22-year old grocery store worker in Quebec.
- April 14, 2020: Adrian Olmstead took 5 months to come forward and claim his $70 million jackpot, saying that he took the time to ensure that he had the best advice on how to manage to newfound fortune.
- July 31, 2020: Two former work colleagues from Ontario jointly claimed the 4th $70 million jackpot of 2020. Donna Williamson and David Overall bought tickets together when they worked together and after they separated they continued to buy tickets together.
- October 9, 2020: The jackpot powered up to $70 million again in time for Thanksgiving weekend, when a lucky ticket holder from Quebec matched all 7 numbers to win the full amount, the big draw also offered 19 MaxMillions prizes.
