Ontario Payday
1. What is PAYDAY?
PAYDAY is OLG's weekly on-line game offering a top prize of an annuity of $1,000 A Week For Life (minimum of 20 years). The game is available in Ontario-only at on-line retailers across the province. Additional prize categories, subsidiary prizes and a cash option for the annuity prize are also available.
2. How much does a ticket cost and how do you play?
For $2 per play, consumers select one set of four numbers from a field of 1 to 77 either by selection slip or by Quick Pick. Fourteen additional sets of four numbers are then automatically system generated for a total of fifteen sets of numbers, which are printed on your ticket in four prize categories:
the player selected or Quick Pick selection for the $1,000 A Week For Life prize category
2 sets in the $50,000 prize category,
4 sets in the $20,000 prize category, and
8 sets in the $1,000 prize category.
Each PAYDAY ticket may contain up to five $2 plays.
3. What is the top prize and what are the odds of winning?
The top prize is an annuity that pays the winner $1,000 a week (minimum of 20 years) for the rest of the winner's life. The odds of winning the top prize of $1,000 A Week For Life are 1 in 1,353,275 million with the overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 6.1. Winners of the top prize also have the option of receiving a lump-sum payment of $675,000.
4. What prizes are available to be won?
Prizes available include the top prize of $1,000 A Week For Life (minimum 20 years) for matching all four numbers in the $1,000 A Week For Life prize category. If you match all four numbers in the $50,000 prize category, you win $50,000; in the $20,000 prize category, you win $20,000; and in the $1,000 category, you win $1,000. Subsidiary prizes include $25 for matching three numbers in any set and $2 for matching two numbers in any set. You may win more than once on a ticket, but only once per set of four numbers.
5. When do the draws take place and what is the cut-off time to purchase payday tickets on draw nights?
PAYDAY draws are held weekly on Thursday evenings. Consumers have until 9:00 p.m. on the night of the draw to purchase tickets. The weekly PAYDAY draw will take place as soon as possible after 9:00 p.m.
6. What is an annuity?
An annuity is a type of long-term investment. By using an annuity for the top prize, PAYDAY offers payments of $1,000 A Week For Life, while offering lots of other prizes and great odds of winning.
7. How often will someone win the top prize?
As with all lottery draws, random chance will determine how many winners there will be. The odds of winning the PAYDAY jackpot are relatively low at 1:1.35 million which is similar to some of our INSTANT games.
8. Is there a limit on the number of top prize winners of $1,000 a week for life? if so, what is the prize liability limit and how does this affect the top prize payout?
A: PAYDAY offers a predetermined prize structure, as opposed to a pari-mutuel, the liability of PAYDAY's top prize ($1,000 A Week For Life) is limited to four payouts per draw or a total cash value of $2,700,000 (the equivalent of four single cash payments of $675,000). This is similar to the prize structure of our DAILY KENO on-line game. In the case where there are more than four winners of the top prize in any one draw, each prize will be determined by dividing $2,700,000 by the number of winners in the $1,000 A Week For Life prize category for that draw. The prize will be awarded as a lump sum payment.
9. Can winners of the top prize receive a single cash payment or lump-sum payment instead of the $1,000 a week payments?
The appeal of PAYDAY is the '$1,000 a week' for the rest of the winners' life (minimum 20 years). However, winners do have the option of a single lump-sum payment of $675,000.
10. If I choose the annuity prize, can I give it to someone else or sell it?
The annuity prize cannot be sold and can only be transferred once to a beneficiary on the death of the winner.
11. Are there free play tickets available to be won on PAYDAY?
Free play prizes are not offered on PAYDAY, however a free play win on ENCORE results in a "PAYDAY free play with ENCORE" prize.
12. Do I have the option of purchasing PAYDAY tickets in advance?
Yes, the advance play option is available on PAYDAY. You will be able to purchase from two up to ten consecutive draws in advance.
13. I like to play ENCORE can I purchase ENCORE on my PAYDAY ticket?
ENCORE, OLG's add-on game, is available with PAYDAY. You may purchase up to ten ENCORE plays on one ticket.
14. Can I play PAYDAY with a group?
Yes, you can play PAYDAY with a group. However, a group of people claiming the top prize may only be able to claim the one-time lump-sum payment of $675,000.
15. Where can I obtain winning number information for PAYDAY?
PAYDAY winning number information will be available at your local lottery retailer, from our WINLINE! toll-free at 1-866-891-8946 or in Toronto at 1-416-870-8946, through our Customer Excellence Centre at 1-800-387-0098 or on our web site at
www.OLG.ca. You may also request a copy of our Winning Numbers Pamphlet at your local retailer or through our Customer Excellence Centre.
16. Can people from outside Ontario play and win on this game?
Yes, but a winner of the top prize who lives outside of Ontario may only be able to win the cash lump-sum payment of $675,000.
17. If I select my own numbers for PAYDAY, can the numbers be duplicated in the system generated numbers?
No. Any set of four numbers will only appear once among the total of 15 sets of numbers.
