Changes to Lotto Max mean gamblers can play twice as often, and the jackpot is going up.
A brand-new Tuesday draw has been added to the Friday draw. The first jackpot up for grabs will be on May 14.
The maximum jackpot will increase from $60 million to $70 million as well.
Before Lotto Max players get too excited, however, they should know that the odds of winning will actually decrease under the new system.
That’s because the lottery will be adding an extra available number, 50, for players to choose when they select their seven numbers. Gamblers will be able to choose numbers between 1 and 50 instead of the previous available options of 1 and 49.
With the additional number, the odds of winning the jackpot jumps from 1 in 28 million to 1 in 33 million.
Players can be consoled by the fact that the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, which is jointly run by five provincial lottery commissions, will add two new lower-tier bonus prizes and Maxmillion prizes will continue to be added when the jackpot reaches $50 million.
There is no change to the cost of a Lotto Max ticket; participants can still pick three selections of seven numbers for $5.
According to Lotto Max, Tuesday’s draw is an estimated $17 million.
