Hundreds Claim to Be Winners of CA$70M Lotto Max Jackpot

Just recently, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation reminded its players that there is still an unclaimed Lotto Max jackpot worth CA$70,000,000. The windfall is set to expire on June 28, 2023, and the Crown agency says that after its statement it received hundreds of calls from people claiming that they have lost the life-changing ticket.

According to the Crown corporation, the jackpot was triggered by the ticket in the June 28, 2022 draw of the nationwide Lotto Max. The ticket was purchased in the Scarborough region, and its winning numbers are 8, 19, 22, 41, 42, 46, 47 Bonus 10. However, the 52-week deadline is just around the corner and time is running out for the holder.

Winner Still Uknown

In an interview from last week, OLG’s spokesperson Tony Bitonti shared that since May 23, 2023, the Crown received 760 calls about the expiring ticket. He further elaborated that those calls included general inquiries about the ticket and individuals who claimed to be the owners of the ticket, but say they have lost it and were unable to find it.

However, the representative explained that if people claim to have lost their ticket, then the OLG will proceed to investigate by asking them a couple of follow-up questions. Then, if they provide several right answers to the questions, then they will be forwarded to the next stage of the review. And if they fail to answer right then they are obviously out of the equation.

Unfortunately, Mr. Bitonti said that the actual winner of the mega jackpot has not yet emerged. Previously he explained that if there is no winner, this will be the largest unclaimed lottery prize in Canada’s history. The previous one was a CA$15-million Lotto Max prizewinning from the August 2021 draw which also remained unclaimed.

Additionally, he noted that there was no activity on the ticket since its purchase. Mr. Bitonti remarked that in the past it was common for big winners to take a couple of months to emerge as they talk to financial advisors first. If not claimed by the deadline, he said that the money will return to the game for future prizes, promotions, and jackpots.

Players Keep Winning

While Ontario is awaiting the emergence of the major winner, players in the rest of Canada have also claimed some impressive prizemoney via Lotto Max. In April 2023, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission informed that a ticket holder from the province has won an awesome jackpot worth CA$55 million. The winner has up to 52 weeks to claim it.

In the fall of 2022, an 83-year-old mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother from Ontario a life-changing CA$60 million Lotto Max jackpot. The name of the lucky winner was Vera Page and she resides in Vankleek Hill. With the money, she plans on buying land on the Ottawa River and building a double-family house for her and her son’s family.

Source: Jackson, Hannah “Hundreds claim they may have lost winning ticket for $70M Lotto Max prize as deadline looms” GlobalNews, June 2, 2023