Bonus Jackpots

L

LottoGroups

Member
The Lotto 649 lottery is having a series of bonus jackpots. The March 14 jackpot was won (one winner in Ontario). The jackpot for the March 17 draw is estimated at $18 million.

I called the Western Canada Lottery Corporation and asked how many more draws are planned. The person I spoke with was very reluctant to give me the information and was somewhat vague. I kept asking specific very specific questions until they told me the exact jackpot values. The answers were always qualified by whether or not any of the bonus jackpots were won.

The following is what I was able to determine:
March 17 - $18 million
March 21 - $20 million
March 24 - $22 million
March 28 - $25 million
March 31 - $30 million.

It is not a coincidence that the bonus draws go to the end of the month. Their fiscal year ends on March 31 and the lottery corporations are trying to boost their fiscal year-end sales. For the OLG, this is especially important since executive and employee bonuses are based upon year-end sales figures.

To get a more definitive answer, I sent the following email to Western Canada Lottery Corporation. I will post their response. I may also send the same email to the other lottery corportations to see how quick each responds.

_______________________________________________

I understand that the March 17 Lotto 649 draw has a bonus jackpot of $18 million. I would like to know how many more bonus jackpots are planned and their respective jackpot values. I would also like to know if the bonus jackpots are dependent upon any of the previous jackpots being won or not won.

I would also like to suggest that this information be published on your website. I realize that your corporation may be reluctant to do so for fear of causing your customers to delay a purchase knowing that the next jackpot is guaranteed to be larger than the current jackpot. But, the bonus jackpot values are known among several of your employees. It does not appear to be fair that certain customers (your employees) have this information and the general public does not.

I also understand that I can request this information through a Freedom of Information request but by the time the request is fulfilled, the period of bonus draws would have expired.

I also understand that the bonus draws are funded by unclaimed prizes. Some of these unclaimed prizes are the direct result of errors and omissions on your part (for example, the current Millionaire Life issues). This furthers my argument that as a customer I have the right to know how and when these monies are being spent.

Thanks and best regards
 
L

LottoGroups

Member
I have decided to start our lottery group purchases for the $20 million bonus jackpot on the March 21 draw. We will play that draw and the following three draws with the largest purchase of tickets reserved for the $30 million jackpot on March 31.

For the March 21 draw, we will buy 50 tickets for a total cost of $100.
 
L

LottoGroups

Member
I sent a copy of the same email to the other lottery corporations in Canada shortly after I sent the first inquiry to Western Canada Lottery Corporation. I am curious to see who responds the quickest and how each answer compares.

So far I have received a response from Western Canada. The following is the relevant excerpt from the response in italics followed by my interpretation.

As you mention, there is a LOTTO 6/49 Jackpot Bonus currently underway. The majority of the funding for the Bonus will come from promotional funding from the five lottery regions across the country. There has not been a Jackpot of more than $20 Million on LOTTO 6/49 since November 8th, and there is a desire to offer some big Jackpots to players.

The first two promotional Jackpots will be guaranteed at $18 Million and $20 Million. The exact number of Bonus Jackpots after those two draws will be dependent on whether the Jackpot is won. If the Jackpot rolls draw after draw, the additional promotional funding will not be necessary to provide the larger Jackpots. Current promotional funds would then be allocated to a future Bonus, perhaps as early as this summer.

While we respect that some players may wish to plan their lottery purchases for upcoming Jackpots, please recognise we cannot release information about Jackpot amounts that are subject to change and may become inaccurate.

I gather that if both of the first two bonus draws are not won, the bonus jackpots will continue. If both of the first two bonus draws are won, the bonus draws will probably not continue. The question is, what happens if one of the first two bonus draws are won. I suspect the bonus draws will continue under that situation but will depend upon the amount of sales generated from the first two draws.

The other dark horse is the Super 7 draw at $18 million. If Super 7 rolls there will be less incentive to continue the Lotto 649 bonus draws given there would already be a large jackpot across the country to generate year-end sales.

Time will tell.
 
lasslicker

lasslicker

Member
And the jackpot has rolled to $38,000,000.

It is odd to see a three bonus draws in a row without a top prize being won.
 
C

coldrain

Member
Lotto$Master said:
fixed! RIGGED!
Click to expand...

They do not need to rig this, because the chance of winning is already so small. If anything, they have to rigged so that someone won the jackpot which will induce people to buy more tickets.

Remember there are more than 13million combinations for 6/49. Even you are holding 1 million tickets, you only have about 8% chance to win the jackpot.
 
wazzappenning

wazzappenning

Member
yes but apparently this has something to do with they are only allowed to make so much money, so this is a giveaway so they get rid of all the money they have overmade

although i personally think they would get get more response NOT with a bigger jackpot but with bigger secondary prizes how about 1 million for 5 + bonus or 50000$ for 5 or 2000 for 4, 20 for 3 and 10 for 2 + bonus. that would make me play.( make grand prize 10 million....thats enough!)
 
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