Last updated October 5, 2026
1. Choose a game
Canada has three national lotteries you can play in any province: Lotto Max (Tuesday and Friday), Lotto 6/49 (Wednesday and Saturday) and Daily Grand (Monday and Thursday). Each province also runs its own games with smaller prizes and often better odds. Compare the national lotteries or see the games in your province.
Hospital and charity lotteries are different: they sell a fixed number of tickets for big prizes like homes and cash, and the money supports a cause. See hospital and charity lotteries.
2. Check the age to play
You must be 18 to buy lottery tickets in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the territories, and 19 in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
3. Buy a ticket
You can buy tickets at lottery retailers such as convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations, or online through your province's official lottery (see buying lottery tickets online). Prizes generally have to be claimed through the lottery in the region where you bought the ticket.
You can choose your own numbers on a selection slip, or ask for a Quick Pick, where the terminal chooses random numbers for you. Both have exactly the same chance of winning.
4. Consider an add-on
For $1 more, most draw games let you add your region's add-on: Encore in Ontario, Extra in Quebec and Western Canada, or Tag in Atlantic Canada. It's a separate number with its own prizes.
5. Keep your ticket safe
Your ticket is the only proof that you've won. Sign it as soon as you buy it (follow the instructions printed on the ticket), keep it somewhere safe, and check the draw date printed on it. If you play online, your tickets are saved in your account.
6. Check your numbers
Check your ticket at any lottery retailer, on your official lottery's website or app, or compare it with the winning numbers on Lottery.ca. We update results after every draw, but only your official lottery's results count.
7. Claim your prize
Small prizes are paid right at the store. Bigger prizes are claimed online, by mail or at a prize office, and you have one year from the draw date. Our guide to claiming a prize has the limits for every province.
Playing in a group
Office pools and family groups are common. Before the draw, write down who's in, how much each person paid and which tickets the group owns, and have everyone sign it. Each lottery has an official group claim form, and having your agreement in writing makes sharing a prize much simpler.