Buy Ontario 49 Tickets Online

Ontario 49 is a Canadian lotto game that has attracted a lot of attention for its cheap ticket prices and fixed jackpot.

It follows a familiar format that makes it easy for both new and experienced lotto players from all over the world.

In this guide, we’ll give you all the information you'll need about this game and explain how to buy Ontario 49 tickets online.

About Ontario 49

Ontario 49 is a provincial lottery offered in Ontario, Canada.

It is run by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), the province-run lotto organization, and its first draw was held on October 1, 1997.

The game has undergone a few changes since it was first launched, with the most recent improvements occurring in May 2014. 

At this point the jackpot was increased, new prize tiers were created and the overall odds of winning drastically improved from 1 in 54 to 1 in 6.6.

Ontario 49 Draws

Ontario 49 is a bi-weekly draw, with draws held every Wednesday and Saturday between 10:30 pm and 10:40 pm EST in Toronto.

Players within Ontario have the opportunity to buy lottery tickets for Ontario 49 until 10:30 pm EST on the day of the draw.  

During the draw, a total of seven numbers are randomly selected.

How to Play Ontario 49

With a familiar 6/49 format, Ontario 49 is very easy to play.

Players must select six numbers from a range of numbers 1 to 49 and one bonus number from the same number range. Players can either select their own numbers or choose the Quick Pick option.

Each slip also gives players the option to choose the Advance Play box, which allows them to purchase tickets for up to 52 future draws using the same numbers.

Tickets also come with a Combination Play option, which allows players to choose five-, seven-, eight- and nine-number combinations. The selected numbers are automatically worked into all possible six-number combinations.

Combination Play is more expensive than the standard CA $1 ticket (when purchased from official retailers within Canada), as it gives multiple sets of numbers and multiple chances to win. 

Players also have the option of adding an Encore number, which is a bonus game that offers an additional CA $1 million jackpot. Encore is available with many other Canadian lottery games, including Lotto 649 and Lotto Max, and costs an additional CA $1 when purchased from official retailers.

Ontario 49 Prizes and Odds

Each Ontario 49 jackpot is fixed at CA $2 million.

There are a total of seven prize tiers, with the first- and second-tier prizes being shared between all players who have matched the required amount of numbers.

To win the jackpot, a player must match all six main numbers.

The bonus number that is selected in each draw only affects the second-highest and second-lowest prize tiers.

Players only need to match two numbers to win a prize, though the prize for matching two numbers is a free ticket for the next draw.

Ontario 49 has some pretty decent jackpot odds at 1 in 13,983,816.

Thanks to the free ticket and CA $3 prize categories, the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 6.6.

These are pretty impressive, especially since a standard ticket only costs CA $1.

The odds of winning each prize tier and the respective estimated winnings are as follows:

Claiming Ontario 49 Prizes

Players who are lucky enough to win an Ontario 49 prize have up to one year from the draw date to claim their winnings.

All prizes are awarded as lump-sum payments, with the biggest prizes awarded by cheque.

All lottery prizes in Canada are awarded tax-free. 

Players who buy lotto tickets online through third-party retailers may have to pay taxes in accordance with the tax laws of their country of residence.

Notable Ontario 49 Winners

All Ontario 49 draws award the same CA $2 million jackpot prize, so there aren’t any stand-out winners.

The top prize has been awarded many times since the cap was implemented with the other game changes in 2014.

Though Ontario 49 jackpots might not be as big as those given out by other popular lottery games around the world, there’s no doubt that winning the top prize is still a life-changing event.

Ontario 49-Should You Play?

Ontario 49 is a lottery with wide-reaching appeal.

The familiar single-matrix 6/49 format makes it easy to understand, and the decent jackpot and great overall odds make it a very appealing game.

Though jackpots don’t grow as big as some other popular lotteries, the CA $1 ticket price more than makes up for the smaller jackpot prizes.

If you’re looking for a fun new game to try, we recommend Ontario 49.