Long lineups for tickets as big prize hits $70 million
Lineups grew at kiosks as dreamers went after largest jackpot in Canada’s history
Lottery fever spread across the city and country Friday, as people lined up to buy a ticket for the largest jackpot in Canadian history.
The prize for Friday night’s nationwide Lotto Max draw stood at $70 million, a figure that lottery officials said would be the highest ever awarded in Canada. At least 10 other prizes of $1 million each were also set to be awarded.
Dita Kuhtey, a spokeswoman for the lottery corporation in Ontario, said the traditional sales bump retailers experience when jackpots exceed $50 million appeared to be even more pronounced this time.
The same was true across the country, with lineups seen at many lottery kiosks in Calgary. On Twitter, #lottomax was a trending hashtag throughout the day as Canadians joked and fantasized about what they would do with $70 million.
As to whether or not there was a winning ticket for the $70 million jackpot, information regarding a potential winner or winners wasn’t available at press time Friday. But, if no one has a winning ticket the same $70 million prize will be up for grabs again on Tuesday.
The jackpot has grown to this new $70 million, because no one has won Lotto Max since Nov. 26, 2019. Each time the prize is unclaimed, the pot increases by five per cent until reaching this new $70 million cap.
A number of significant lottery wins have occurred in Alberta in recent months. Calgarian Joshua Caines came forward just last month to claim his $50-million Lotto Max prize after not knowing for months that he held the winning ticket. It was the third lottery win of $50 million or more in Alberta in 2019. Tai Trinh claimed an Alberta-record $65-million lotto windfall in October. A $60-million jackpot was won by an Edmonton man in August.
— The Canadian Press and Postmedia News