Lottery fever erupts across Canada

Oct 26, 2005, 10:54 am (18 comments)

Canada 6/49

Tonight's record $40 million jackpot (US$34 million) for Canada's national Lotto 6/49 game has people lining up at ticket vendors across the country.

Noemi Nepomuceno, who was out buying tickets in Toronto on Tuesday, says she knows exactly what she'll do with the jackpot.

"Oh boy, I tell you, first to pay off the debts, pay off the mortgage, and then that's it," Nepomuceno said. "Enjoy it, give it to charities, then enjoy my life.

"I've been waiting for a long time."

Elizabeth Wilson won $7.4 million two weeks ago in a Lotto 6/49 draw. She shared her prize with her four children, five brothers, and nine grandchildren. Even so, she says, she has lots of money left.

"I won't have to worry for the rest of my life," she said. "I'll be all set."

The Ontario Lottery Corporation says the chances of winning are one in 14 million.

Ned Ma is trying to improve his odds by using the laws of probability. "I picked the numbers that most probably will come out," he said.

Actually some numbers do come up more than others.

The number 31, for instance has appeared in 13 percent of winning combinations over the last 20 years.

But the odds of winning decrease when more people buy more tickets for the big jackpots.

Still, most say a toonie (a Canadian coin worth $2) is a small price to pay for a chance at the big money.

The biggest winner will be the provincial lottery coffers. Saturday's $30 million jackpot brought in $55 million worth of tickets, but there was no winner.

About 29 percent of the money goes to provincial governments, a further 18 percent is split between operating costs, payments to sellers and the federal government.

Wednesday's draw is expected to bring in even more.

CBC News

Comments

CASH Only

Other than the proposed MUSL international game, I wonder if Canada has been looking to partner with other countries for a jackpot game?

bellyache's avatarbellyache

It looks like this jackpot is turning into the U.S. version of the recent Powerball jackpot.

NearNewBrit

>>> Still, most say a toonie (a Canadian coin worth $2) is a small price to pay for a chance at the big money. <<<

 

I think the $2 coin is called a loonie, for the loon bird depicted on it.

My $1 coin as a swimming/floating bird on it, too.  I wonder what type of bird it is.

 

 

JimmySand9

>>> Still, most say a toonie (a Canadian coin worth $2) is a small price to pay for a chance at the big money. <<<</p>

 

I think the $2 coin is called a loonie, for the loon bird depicted on it.

My $1 coin as a swimming/floating bird on it, too.  I wonder what type of bird it is.

 

 

The $1 coin is called the Loonie. The $2 coin is called a Toonie.

Bradly_60's avatarBradly_60

"But the odds of winning decrease when more people buy more tickets for the big jackpots."

Why is that?  Does that even make sense?

 

"Saturday's $30 million jackpot brought in $55 million worth of tickets", "The Ontario Lottery Corporation says the chances of winning are one in 14 million."

Now that is something.  There were four times the amount of tickets bought than the odds.  They should of covered every number at least 3 times and they pick one set of numbers that none of the 55 million tickets matched.  That is crazy.

Brad

Chewie

I guess I'll find out if it rolled when I am having morning coffee.  Best of luck to the Northerners.

rtmschmidt
reply to: Quote: Originally posted by NearNewBrit on October 26, 2005

>>> Still, most say a toonie (a Canadian coin worth $2) is a small price to pay for a chance at the big money. <<<</p>

 

I think the $2 coin is called a loonie, for the loon bird depicted on it.

My $1 coin as a swimming/floating bird on it, too.  I wonder what type of bird it is.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

A $1 coin is a loonie  and a $2 coin is a toonie

 

monty's avatarmonty

We now have a winner ending up at 54 million dollars, sales were so brisk that at 9 pm, they announced that the jackpot would be 54 million. It has been won in Alberta, Westen Canada, we know it is one ticket, what we dont know if it is one person, family or a pool of people. I can tell yu this, it was not myself as I am working away today at my work, Did I try off course, but thats the fun playing the lottery.

By the way ladies/gentleman, that is 54 million tax free

 

Ineke & Bill

Ontario Canada

JAG331

Congrats to the winner.  Must be quite a buzz around Calgary.

Jake649's avatarJake649

"But the odds of winning decrease when more people buy more tickets for the big jackpots."

Why is that?  Does that even make sense?

 

"Saturday's $30 million jackpot brought in $55 million worth of tickets", "The Ontario Lottery Corporation says the chances of winning are one in 14 million."

Now that is something.  There were four times the amount of tickets bought than the odds.  They should of covered every number at least 3 times and they pick one set of numbers that none of the 55 million tickets matched.  That is crazy.

Brad

Brad,

Only 27 million tickets were sold for the $30 million draw on Oct 22.

NearNewBrit
reply to: Quote: Originally posted by NearNewBrit on October 26, 2005

>>> Still, most say a toonie (a Canadian coin worth $2) is a small price to pay for a chance at the big money. <<<</p>

 

I think the $2 coin is called a loonie, for the loon bird depicted on it.

My $1 coin as a swimming/floating bird on it, too.  I wonder what type of bird it is.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

A $1 coin is a loonie  and a $2 coin is a toonie

 

I guess I'm not quite right, eh?  But I'll need to be filled in a bit more.  If I remember correctly, this $2 piece is the one that looks like a round slug inserted into another larger (round?) coin.  And, if loonie is for loon, what does toonie stand for?  I remember hearing of a bird called a tern/turn but toonie has me baffled...

...or hosed Wink  Patriot !

 

CASH Only

The first part of "toonie" sounds like "two". The C$2 coin is a slug inside a donut-shaped coin.

JAG331

I first visited Canada (Saskatchewan) as a teenager in 1996, the year the toonie was introduced.  Those early model $2 coins broke apart if you threw them hard enough on the ground.  I think they've since remedied the problem?

CASH Only

jag:

I heard that too about the $2 coin. I have a couple of them but never tried to slam them.

Subscribe to this news story