Loto-Québec officially announced it would put a halt on the regular shooting of its popular TV game Poule aux œufs d’or. The lottery offering is popular among residents of Quebec thanks to the special golden scratch tickets making it possible for them to make their way to the TV studio for a live game and the chance of winning big. COVID-19 concerns are the main reason why the Crown corporation would put the filming on hold.
The situation in Quebec is a rather dynamic one, as the province confirmed 74 cases of the novel coronavirus as of March 17. Upwards of 2,900 individuals still await their coronavirus test results, some of which could return positive. Quebec Premier François Legault said that individuals should refrain from social gatherings and they should practice social distancing instead.
Poule aux œufs d’Or in Hiatus
Loto-Québec takes into account the dynamic situation with changes implemented on a daily basis and remains as flexible as possible. This led to the recent shutdown of the renowned TV show. Its mascot is the hen with the golden egg ready to give more to the players once the hiatus is over.
Such a move is an unprecedented one, as the TV show has a total of 27 years of history on the small screen. Players associate the weekly editions of this show with more prizes and increased chances of winning some of the fortune the Crown corporation has up for grabs. Now it is time for a change triggered by the uncertain health situation on a provincial and national level.
One of the main risks while filming the TV show with great prizes are the lucky winners themselves. They are making their way to the studio in order to collect their prizes and this travel could accelerate and outbreak of COVID-19 across Canada. March 19 and 26 are about to see the last two regular draws before the hiatus because the tickets for them have already been sold.
OLG Closes Toronto Prize Center
Players would still be able to collect their prizes if they are among the lucky individuals to cash a prize from the popular gaming offering and those of them eligible for a TV game would have the chance to do so once the game returns. This is expected to happen once the pandemic is mitigated and life has returned back to its normal pace. Players would not be able to purchase Poule aux œufs d’or tickets before that.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has similar concerns in mind which have prompted additional measures to be implemented. In an attempt to flatten the curve and mitigate the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Crown corporation announced the closure of its Toronto Prize Center where players have the chance to collect their larger cash prizes of the popular lottery games.
The lottery leader has not pinpointed an exact reopening date as of now. Players eligible for a cash payout over CA$10,000 would now have to wait a while before they have the chance to bag their prize. This includes the generous Main prizes of the Lotto 6/49 and Lotto MAX, two of the most popular draw-based lottery games in Canada. The time period for collection of the prizes would also be extended accordingly, as to make the process easier.
