Canadians will soon see major changes to Lotto Max, with a new format aimed at offering more plays and slightly improved chances of winning smaller prizes.
Starting April 10, ticket prices will increase from $5 to $6, but each ticket will now include four lines instead of three. Players will also select numbers from a larger pool — 52 instead of 50 — making individual plays slightly harder to win.
Experts say the added line helps offset those tougher odds, resulting in a modest improvement in overall chances of winning any prize, which will rise from about one in seven to roughly one in 5.8.
However, jackpot odds remain nearly unchanged at around one in 33 million per ticket, meaning the biggest wins are still extremely rare.
The update also introduces additional $100,000 prizes tied to jackpot draws and raises the maximum jackpot to $90 million, up from $80 million.
While the changes may lead to more frequent smaller wins, the lottery remains a long-shot game — with the biggest payouts still depending on extraordinary luck.