Biggest Lotto 6/49 Jackpots in History
Lotto 6/49 launched on June 12, 1982 and has produced more than four decades of Canadian millionaires. Two distinct eras define the game: the Classic era (1982 through September 10, 2022), where a single growing jackpot rolled over until won, and the Gold Ball era (since September 14, 2022), where a fixed $5 million Classic Draw is paired with a growing Gold Ball Jackpot that maxes out at $68 million.
Two distinct eras of Lotto 6/49
A single growing jackpot rolled over until won. Format: pick 6 of 49 plus a bonus number. Launched June 12, 1982 — Canada's first national "pick your own numbers" lottery, with a first jackpot of $500,000. From September 18, 2013 onwards, a $1 million Guaranteed Prize Draw was added on every draw, alongside the growing main jackpot.
A two-jackpot structure introduced for the game's 40th anniversary. The main Classic Draw is now fixed at $5 million on every draw — it no longer grows. The new Gold Ball Jackpot replaces the $1 million Guaranteed Prize Draw and starts at $10 million, growing by $2 million each draw it isn't won. The maximum is $68 million — when only the gold ball remains in the elimination draw, the jackpot is guaranteed to be won.
Each Lotto 6/49 ticket includes a 10-digit Gold Ball draw number. A separate elimination draw uses 30 balls — 29 white and 1 gold. A white ball pays $1 million and is removed; the Gold Ball pays the growing jackpot. When the Gold Ball is finally drawn, all 30 balls are returned and the jackpot resets to $10 million.
All-time top Lotto 6/49 jackpots
Every entry below is verified against an operator/official source and a high-trust national broadcaster, and every draw date has been cross-checked against the WCLC Lotto 6/49 archive. Anonymous winners are kept anonymous. "Largest ever" claims are time-qualified — records can be tied or surpassed by future draws.
| # | Date | Amount | Era | Province / City | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-09-27 | $68M | Gold Ball | Toronto, ON | Noel Patricio |
| 2 | 2024-06-15 | $66M | Gold Ball | Calgary, AB | James Jutzi |
| 3 | 2015-10-17 | $64M | Classic | Mississauga, ON | Zhe Wang |
| 4 | 2023-04-15 | $64M | Gold Ball | Gloucester County, NB | Anonymous |
| 5 | 2013-04-13 | $63.4M | Classic | -, split | Multiple tickets |
| 6 | 2024-03-06 | $58M | Gold Ball | Richmond, BC | Hao Ping Chung |
| 7 | 2005-10-26 | $54.3M | Classic | Camrose, AB | Anonymous |
| 8 | 2023-12-09 | $50M | Gold Ball | Calgary, AB | Carmen Austria, Gary Perkins, Catherine Wall |
| 9 | 2023-01-07 | $48M | Gold Ball | Sault Ste. Marie, ON | Juliette Lamour |
| 10 | 2023-06-14 | $42M | Gold Ball | Niagara Falls, ON | Anonymous |
| 11 | 2021-05-12 | $27.5M | Classic | Fraserwood, MB | Keith Spulnick |
Gold Ball era wins (September 2022 — present)
Gold Ball era wins are sorted chronologically. Each entry shows the unique Gold Ball draw number where the operator made it public — these are the 10-digit identifiers that determined the winning ticket.
Classic era records (1982 — September 2022)
Classic era wins listed here are the three publicly documented $50 million+ Classic jackpots prior to the September 2022 rule change. Numerous $30M–$50M Classic wins occurred over the decades; this page focuses on the records.
Provincial records (under $50 million)
Regional records sit below the $50M threshold but are documented here for completeness when a provincial record can be verified with the operator. Saskatchewan's largest Lotto 6/49 win is generally cited as a $20 million prize in Carrot River in February 2010, but the exact draw date and winning numbers are not available in publicly cited sources — it remains on the watchlist pending precise verification.
Lotto 6/49 milestones
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest Lotto 6/49 jackpot ever?
The biggest Lotto 6/49 jackpot in history is $68 million, won by Noel Patricio of Toronto on the September 27, 2023 Gold Ball draw. It was the first time the Gold Ball Jackpot reached its maximum cap of $68 million, where a winner is guaranteed.
What was the biggest Classic-era Lotto 6/49 jackpot?
The biggest Classic-era Lotto 6/49 jackpot was $64 million, won by Zhe Wang of Mississauga, Ontario on October 17, 2015. At the time of the win, it was the largest single-ticket lottery prize ever in Canadian history. The Classic era ran from the game's launch in 1982 until September 10, 2022.
What is the Gold Ball Jackpot?
The Gold Ball Jackpot was introduced on September 14, 2022 as part of the new two-jackpot Lotto 6/49 format. It replaced the previous $1 million Guaranteed Prize Draw. The Gold Ball Jackpot starts at $10 million and grows by $2 million each draw until it is won. The maximum is $68 million, at which point a winner is guaranteed.
How is the Gold Ball Jackpot different from the Classic Draw?
They are two separate jackpots played on the same $3 ticket. The Classic Draw uses six numbers from 1–49 that you pick yourself (or via Quick Pick), and the prize is fixed at $5 million every draw. The Gold Ball Jackpot uses a computer-generated 10-digit number on your ticket, and the prize is decided by a separate elimination-style draw of 30 balls (29 white worth $1 million each + 1 Gold Ball worth the growing jackpot).
Can the Gold Ball Jackpot exceed $68 million?
No. By the official rules, $68 million is the structural maximum. When only the Gold Ball remains in the draw machine after 29 consecutive white-ball draws, the jackpot is guaranteed to be won on that draw and the prize pool resets to $10 million. The cap of $68 million has been reached and won once so far, on September 27, 2023.
Who was the youngest major Lotto 6/49 winner?
Juliette Lamour of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario won the January 7, 2023 Gold Ball Jackpot of $48 million at age 18 — on the first lottery ticket she ever bought. It remains one of the most distinctive winner stories of the Gold Ball era.
How are these jackpot records verified?
Every entry on this page is verified against at least one operator press release (OLG, BCLC, Atlantic Lottery, WCLC corporate or Loto-Québec) and one high-trust national broadcaster (CBC, CTV or Global News). Draw dates and winning numbers are cross-validated against the official WCLC Lotto 6/49 archive. Winners are named only when publicly disclosed by the operator.
Why isn't the $60M Newfoundland 2018 win on this list?
That $60 million prize, won by 31 Boilermakers Local 203 co-workers at the Come By Chance refinery on February 23, 2018, was a Lotto Max draw — not Lotto 6/49. It is one of the largest Atlantic Canada lottery wins overall but belongs to the Lotto Max history, which we cover separately.