Lotto 6/49: rules of the game and frequently asked questions

How Lotto 6/49 is played, how the prize tiers work and what this site offers, in brief. Only the operator's official rules are binding.

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Rules of the game

How is Lotto 6/49 played?

Lotto 6/49 is Canada's national lottery, drawn every Wednesday and Saturday (Classic Draw). You play 6 numbers from 49; a bonus number is then drawn from the remaining balls. Data: BCLC (British Columbia Lottery Corporation).

How does the Bonus number work?

The Bonus number is drawn after the winning numbers from the remaining balls; it counts if it is among your own numbers.

Winning

What are the odds of winning?

The chance of the top tier (6 matches) is 1 in 13,983,816; the chance of winning anything is about 1 in 7. All tiers with their exact probability are on the Odds page.

This website

Where do the numbers come from?

Source: BCLC (playnow.com). No guarantee. The data covers 4458 draws from 12.06.1982 to 10.10.2026.

Do statistics help you win?

No. Every draw is independent of the previous ones and every combination is equally likely.

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