Canadian first: LOTTO MAX Jackpot rolls to record $75M

A Lotto Max ticket is shown in Toronto on Monday Feb. 26, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Lottery fever is sweeping across Ontario and the rest of Canada as the LOTTO MAX jackpot reaches an unprecedented $75 million, setting the stage for the largest lottery prize in Canadian history.

This Friday's draw marks the first time the LOTTO MAX jackpot has climbed to $75 million, following the recent increase in the jackpot cap to $80 million. If no one wins the $75 million jackpot on Friday, the prize will roll over to an astonishing $80 million for the Tuesday, September 17 draw — the highest possible jackpot ever available to Canadian players.

In addition to the record-breaking jackpot, Friday's draw will also feature 12 MAXMILLIONS prizes, each worth $1 million, bringing the total top prizing to $87 million.

“As we anticipate the new record-breaking $75 million LOTTO MAX jackpot, there were still some great prizes won across the province following last night’s draw,” the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) said in a media release.

One MAXMILLIONS ticket worth $1 million was sold in Thornhill. The LOTTO MAX Second Prize of $262,318.90 was won with a ticket sold in Toronto. An ENCORE ticket worth $100,000 was purchased on OLG.ca.