How to play Lotto Max
Lotto Max offers jackpots that can rival the biggest games in the world. The minimum top prize is $10 million and it can grow up to $90 million, while there are even more opportunities to win big in the associated MaxMillions game. Lotto Max draws take place every Tuesday and Friday evening. Find out more about how the game works below.
Lotto Max is a simple game to play and you can take part at your local Loto-Quebec retailer or online. You just have to select seven numbers from 1 to 52 - it's up to you whether you choose your own or go for a Quick Play.
The minimum play is four selections, so you always have four chances to win in every draw. You can also add Extra and Quebec Max to your ticket to give you even more ways to pick up prizes. Here are some key facts about playing Lotto Max:
- The minimum cost of entry is $6 for four selections
- You must enter before 10:30 PM on draw days
- You can enter up to 99 consecutive draws
If you've bought a ticket for a draw in the last 60 days, you can take it to a retailer and replay it rather than filling out a fresh slip. Once you have taken part, it's just a case of waiting for the draw to see if you're a winner. Keep your ticket safe if you played in a store as you'll need it to claim any prizes.
Lotto Max Prizes and Odds
There are lots of great prizes on offer every time you play Lotto Max, with nine different ways to win. The aim of the game is to match as many of your seven selected numbers to the winning numbers as you can. If you get them all, the jackpot is yours, but you can also win other prizes for matching at least three numbers.
A Bonus Ball is also selected in every draw. If one of your numbers matches the Bonus Ball, it increases the value of your prize. The table below shows all the prize categories and the odds of winning in each one:
| Category | Odds of Winning | Percentage of Prize Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Match 7 | 1 in 33,446,140 | Jackpot |
| Match 6 + Bonus | 1 in 4,778,020 | 18.50% |
| Match 6 | 1 in 108,591 | 18.85% |
| Match 5 + Bonus | 1 in 36,197 | 12.25% |
| Match 5 | 1 in 1,684 | 27.50% |
| Match 4 + Bonus | 1 in 1,010 | 22.90% |
| Match 4 | 1 in 72.2 | Fixed $20 |
| Match 3 + Bonus | 1 in 72.2 | Fixed $20 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 7.0 | Free Play |
| Overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 5.8. | ||
The jackpot starts at a minimum of $10 million and grows every time it is not won. It can rise all the way up to $90 million before it cannot go any higher, but once it hits $50 million the MaxMillions feature also takes effect and the game becomes even more exciting.
MaxMillions
In MaxMillions, a number of extra prizes worth $1 million are also added to the game. As soon as the Lotto Max jackpot reaches $50 million, it is capped at a certain amount for the next draw. Any additional funds that would have boosted the jackpot higher are instead set aside for MaxMillions.
For example, imagine the Lotto Max jackpot is set at $50 million but strong ticket sales push the amount in the prize pot up to $53 million. In this case, there will be three MaxMillions draws. A separate draw is held for each one - with seven winning numbers selected from 1 to 52 in the same way as the main draw. Match all seven numbers and you win the $1 million prize. There are no lower prizes in MaxMillions, but there's no additional cost to take part so it is a great way of giving you more chances to win.
If a MaxMillions draw is not won, the prizes roll over to the following draw. They are then added to either the Lotto Max jackpot if it's below $50 million, or remain as MaxMillions prizes.
MaxPlus
MaxPlus works in a similar way to MaxMillions, except that prizes are offered in every draw! The prize for each MaxPlus draw is usually $100,000, but it may be higher. Just like MaxMillions, you must match all seven numbers to win, and there are no secondary prizes for matching fewer numbers.
There is one MaxPlus prize for every $1 million in the Lotto Max jackpot. For example, there are 10 MaxPlus draws when the jackpot is $10 million. When the jackpot reaches $90 million, there are 90 MaxPlus prizes.
Quebec Max
Quebec Max is a game that can be played separately to Lotto Max or on its own. It costs $3 to take part and you can win up to $2 million. For more information, go to the Quebec Max page.