Frequently Asked Questions



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General


About the Games


General


Buying Tickets


Q: What time do I have to purchase my ticket by for tonight’s draw?

Q: Can I buy WCLC lottery products over the Internet?

Q: Should I print my name on my tickets after I buy them?

Q: I bought a LOTTO 6/49 ticket from another lottery region. When I try to cash them here, the terminals won't validate them. Why?

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Checking and Protecting Your Tickets


Q. What should I do if I discover a prize worth more than $1,000 in the evening or on the weekend, when prize offices are closed? How can I protect my ticket?

Q: What do I do if I have a problem checking my ticket at the store?

Q. When I check the winning numbers on the website, it just shows the province where the prize was won. Why don’t you show the specific location?

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Claiming a Prize


Q: I’ve won a prize – how can I claim my money?

Q: If I win a major prize, do I need to have my picture taken?

Q: I purchased a ticket while visiting the Prairies and Territories. How do I claim my prize?

Q: Are lottery winnings taxable?

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Expiry Dates


Q: I found a LOTTO 6/49 ticket in my junk drawer that is over a year old. Can I still claim a prize?

Q: What happens with lottery prize money that is not claimed?



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Where Does the Money Go?


Q: Where does the money go?


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Group Play


Q: Do you have a form for lottery groups?

Q: Does WCLC require a copy of our Group Buying Agreement?

Q: What name or names should we print on the back of our group tickets?

Q: When I have our group’s tickets checked at Retail, what do I get back from the Retailer to show my group members?

Q: If our lottery group does win a major prize, how are the cheques distributed?


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Lottery Scams


Q: I received an email/letter/phone call from Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) saying that my name was selected and I won a lottery prize.   I can claim the prize if I send the necessary payment for the taxes and/or service charges associated with the prize. Is this legitimate?

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MVP Service


Q. What are the benefits of MVP Service?

Q. When I try to sign up for MVP Service, why do I see a message that says “email address is already in use"?

QQ. Is the personal information I enter to register for MVP Service protected?

Q. What can I do if I no longer want to receive emails from MVP Service or if I’m going away for awhile on holidays?


About the Games:


Draws and Jackpots


Q: What time are the draws held?

Q: Where do the draws take place?

Q: How do the draws work?

Q: When the Jackpot is big, why not offer several smaller prizes?

Q: Your advertisting indicates LOTTO 6/49 jackpots start at $5 million, but your jackpot ads still show "estimated". Which is correct?

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DAILY GRAND

Q: Does the Grand Number work the same as the Bonus number on LOTTO 6/49 or LOTTO MAX?

Q: Why doesn’t the top prize grow when it’s not won?

Q: How long do the annuity payments last on the top two prize categories?

Q: Do winners have to pay tax on their winnings?

Q: What if the winner chooses the annuity and dies shortly thereafter?

Q: If a winner chooses the annuity option, how often will they receive payments?

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LOTTO 6/49


Q: What are the two jackpots offered with LOTTO 6/49?

Q: How does the Gold Ball Draw work?

Q: Is the Gold Ball jackpot guaranteed?

Q: Can I pick my numbers for the Gold Ball draw?

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LOTTO MAX


Q: My number matched four numbers on one line of the MAXMILLIONS numbers.  Why didn’t I win?

Q: What happens when a LOTTO MAX Jackpot or MAXMILLIONS prizes aren’t won?

Q: Why are the selections on my LOTTO MAX and WESTERN MAX ticket the same? Will this affect my odds of winning?

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POKER LOTTO and ALL IN


Q: Can I claim instant prizes before the draw takes place?


Q: Can I play POKER LOTTO without ALL IN?

Q: How big can the ALL IN jackpot get? Is it capped at a certain amount?

Q: How does the ALL in jackpot grow?

Q: How up-to-date are the jackpots advertised at retail and on the website and mobile app?


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EXTRA


Q: I matched the last two EXTRA digits, but when I took it to the store, it didn’t register for a prize. Why?

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Mail Subscription Service


Q: What games are available by Subscription?

Q: How many draws can I buy? Can I buy just one draw?

Q: When will my subscription start?

Q: How do I know if I’ve won, do you notify me or can I be set up for notifications?

Q: Can I choose to play only one draw per week with my subscription if the game has two draws per week?

Q: Do I have the option to add EXTRA to Free Plays won on a Subscription?

Q: Is Direct Deposit available for Subscription prize payments? 

Q: How do I pay for my Subscription? 

Q: When and how do I get my prizes, and what happens if I win the jackpot?

Q: How long does it take to get a Subscription?

Q: What name should go on the Subscription if playing by group? Can we have a group name?

Q: Can we change the trustee for a group Subscription?

Q: If I go away for the winter can I have my winning cheques mailed to an alternate address? 

Q: How will I know what numbers are on my Subscription?

Q: Can I log in online somewhere to view my Subscriptions?

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Zing (SCRATCH 'N WIN)


Q: On the back of all Zing tickets, there is the line that states “Numbers in the area marked “CNTL. NO.” cannot be used to win a prize.”  What does this mean?

Q: Where can I find how many prizes are still available on a certain Zing ticket?

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SPORT SELECT


Q: Where can I find more information about SPORT SELECT?

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GOLD BALL JACKPOT
$
16
Million
or Guaranteed $1 Million
27 Balls Remaining
Exact Match Only
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
$
20
*
Million
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

» Important!

Identifying Lottery Scams

If you’ve been contacted by someone claiming to be from WCLC, and telling you that you have won money without first purchasing a lottery ticket, this is a scam.

You can read more about such scams here.

Myth: There are ways to forecast the outcome of lottery draws.

Fact: It’s impossible to predict when a number will be drawn – all draws are random. There are no tools or systems that can help you predict winning numbers.


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