For this year’s winter festivities, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has in store a full suite of holiday-themed products. The Crown agency also announced the launch of its Merry Millions. It comes with a total of 408 prizes from CA$1,000 to CA$1 million and due to its raffle-themed structure, all prizes are guaranteed to be claimed.
Similar to its other lottery products, proceeds from Merry Millions will be reinvested in Ontario to help key priorities such as healthcare, treatment and prevention of problem gambling and support for amateur athletes. Last year alone, OLG provided over CA$2.5 billion to the province, with the sale of lottery tickets amounting to nearly half of that number.
Merry Millions Tickets are Now in Stores
A limited number of Merry Millions tickets are now in circulation across its lottery retailers in the province. Tickets are available from now until January 9, 2024, and cost CA$20. Those who get their tickets prior to December 12, 2023, will be able to participate in a CA$50,000 Early Bird draw. There are three Early Bird prizes, three Main draws of CA$1M and 402 other cash prizes.
During the holiday season, local players will be also able to buy the Holiday Instant CA$20 Gift Pack, each costing CA$20. Each pack has a guaranteed minimum win of CA$5, while also touting six top prizes of CA$100,000 and comes with five tickets in each pack. It includes fan favourites such as Bingo Double and Crossword Tripler. It is available since November 6, 2023.
For the fans of the bigger stakes, OLG also renewed CA$100 Ultimate, which as the name suggests comes with a price of CA$100. It offers 1 in 25,000 chances of winning the top prize. Also, 40 CA$ 1 million windfalls will be drawn on January 4, 2024. Last but not least, there are also gift cards varying between CA$5 and CA$100, making it a perfect gift for a holiday greeting card.
Since parents often put lottery tickets in children’s Christmas socks, OLG also used the press to remind adults in Ontario that all lottery products, including Instants, are a form of gambling activity, making them inappropriate for children and minors. This is in connection to exposing youth to gambling at an early stage, which could have an impact on them in the future.
OLG Looks Back on Eventful 2022-23
Several weeks ago, OLG also published its annual report for the fiscal 2022-2023. The Crown agency disclosed another record-setting FY in which it delivered CA$2.5 billion in net proceeds to the province. It also disclosed a substantial 31% increase in online gambling earnings to CA$669 million. Meanwhile, monthly player accounts spiked by 22% from the previous FY.
Another highlight from the 2022-23 FY for the gambling regulator of Ontario was the debut of retail sports betting at numerous casinos throughout the province. Properties of Great Canadian Entertainment were among the first to launch the new product via Great Canadian Sportsbooks in October 2022, allowing bettors to enjoy drinks and food while watching and betting on games.
Source: “Give the Gift That Gives Back This Season with a Holiday Lottery Ticket” PR Newswire, November 21, 2023
