If you’re feeling lucky this week, you might want to pick up a Lotto Max ticket, because this Friday’s jackpot is going to be a record breaker.
The jackpot will be up to $60 million -- the first time it has ever grown so large – plus there will be an estimated 25 MaxMillions prizes up for grabs as well.
For the last six years, the Canada-wide Lotto Max jackpot has been capped at a maximum of $50 million.
But the rules changed in July, allowing the jackpot to grow as high as $60 million. This week’s draw will be the first time the lottery has hit that cap.
That has Canadians like Ryan Cloutier getting excited. The Edmonton resident says he doesn't buy lottery tickets every week, but he couldn't resist picking up a ticket for this week’s draw, given the size of the jackpot.
“It's pretty exciting, so I have to get in line and get my tickets,” he told CTV Edmonton.
Fellow Edmontonian Jeff Wong says he doesn’t think he could cope with winning $60 million.
“I can never handle that much of money; $5 million would be good enough for me,” he said.
Andrea Marantz, of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, says her office even gets call from lottery lovers who suggest that big jackpots, like this week’s, be split up to allow more winners.
She says that capping the top prize at $60 million and then allowing the of $1-million MaxMillions prizes is “a good old Canadian compromise.”
Convenience store owner Amir Pradhan say he doesn’t mind the big jackpots. He knows that as Friday draws closer, he’ll soon have lineups outside the door at his store.
“I think it's exciting. People are excited, people love it,” he said.
With a report from CTV Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson
