The biggest lottery prize in Canadian history has been won by a lucky ticket holder in Alberta. The $70 million Lotto Max jackpot was drawn on Tuesday night, and only one ticket matched all seven numbers. The winner has not yet come forward to claim their prize, but they have 52 weeks from the draw date to do so.
How did the jackpot get won?
The winning numbers for the Lotto Max draw on Tuesday, January 17, 2024, were 7, 14, 30, 32, 38, 45, and 50. The bonus number was 25. The odds of winning the jackpot were one in 33,294,800. The jackpot had been rolling over since December 7, 2023, when it was reset to $10 million after a $60 million win in Ontario. The jackpot reached its maximum of $70 million on January 3, 2024, and stayed there for three consecutive draws until it was finally won.
What can the winner do with the money?
The winner of the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot will have a lot of options on how to spend their money. According to the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), the winner can choose to receive their prize in a lump sum or annuity payments. The lump-sum option would give the winner about $46.5 million after taxes, while the annuity option would give them $2.5 million per year for 20 years, tax-free.
Some of the things that the winner could buy with their money include:
- A private island in the Bahamas for $35 million
- A luxury yacht for $10 million
- A penthouse in downtown Calgary for $9.4 million
- A Bugatti Chiron supercar for $3.4 million
- A trip to space with Virgin Galactic for $250,000
- A lifetime supply of Tim Hortons coffee for $78,000
How does the lottery support Alberta communities?
The Lotto Max jackpot is not only a life-changing event for the winner but also a benefit for the communities in Alberta. The AGLC distributes the net revenue from lottery ticket sales to various charitable and public initiatives in the province. In 2023, the AGLC allocated $1.4 billion to support health care, education, culture, sports, recreation, agriculture, and municipal affairs.
Some of the projects that received funding from the AGLC in 2023 include:
- The Calgary Zoo, which received $13.5 million for its Panda Passage exhibit,
- The Edmonton Public Library, which received $10 million for its revitalization project,
- The University of Alberta, which received $7.5 million for its artificial intelligence research,
- The Alberta Cancer Foundation, which received $5 million for its clinical trials program,
- The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, which received $4 million for its pediatric care program,.
