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Quick Pick vs Self Pick: Are Quick Picks Luckier?
A quick pick (numbers generated by the computer) and a self pick (numbers you choose) have the same odds. Below, common myths are checked against Lotto Max odds.
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Myths and the numbers
Myth: quick picks are luckier
1 in 33,446,140These are the jackpot odds for every Lotto Max play. Quick pick tickets and own-number tickets have the same odds per play.
Myth: quick picks repeat
A quick pick is a random line. It can match a past winning line or another ticket by chance. That line has the same chance as any other.
Myth: machines avoid winners
The ticket is issued before the draw. The winning numbers are drawn at random afterwards, so the terminal cannot know or avoid them.
Myth: hot numbers come back
13.5%Each number has this chance to be a main number in the next draw. Past draws do not change it.
Myth: own numbers are better
Own numbers have the same odds. If many players chose the same line and it won, the prize would be split among more winners.
Quick pick vs own numbers
Quick pick
- Numbers generated at random by the computer
- Jackpot odds per play: 1 in 33,446,140
- Each number has the same chance of being chosen
- Can match other tickets by chance
Own numbers
- Numbers you choose yourself
- Jackpot odds per play: 1 in 33,446,140
- Can match other tickets by chance
- If many players chose the same line, a win would be split more ways
What changes the odds and what does not
| Choice | Changes the odds? | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Quick pick or own numbers | No | Nothing |
| Numbers from past draws | No | Nothing |
| Hot or cold numbers | No | Nothing |
| A line many players choose | No | How many winners may share a prize |
| Store where the ticket was printed | No | Nothing |
Odds depend only on how many numbers are drawn and from how large a pool. How you choose your numbers does not change the odds.
Chance a number is drawn next
main numbers drawn ÷ numbers in the pool – the same for every number in every draw
Example: Any number, for example your favourite, has a 13.5% chance to be a main number in the next Lotto Max draw.
Sources
- OLG – Lotto Max Game Conditions · checked Oct 29, 2026
- WCLC – Lotto Max Game Conditions, in effect 2026-04-10 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – Conditions de jeu du Lotto Max · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Loto-Québec – Conditions de jeu du Lotto Max, en vigueur le 2026-04-10 · checked Oct 29, 2026
Questions
Are quick picks luckier than choosing your own numbers?
No. A Lotto Max play has jackpot odds of 1 in 33,446,140 either way. The draw does not know how the numbers on a ticket were chosen.
Is it better to choose your own lottery numbers?
The odds are the same. The only possible difference is sharing: if many players chose the same line and it won, the prize would be split among more winners.
Can a quick pick repeat a past winning line?
Yes. A quick pick is a random line, so it can match a past winning line by chance. That line has the same chance in the next draw as any other line.
Do lottery terminals avoid printing winning numbers?
No. The ticket is issued before the draw, and the numbers are drawn at random afterwards. The terminal cannot know the result.
Do hot or cold numbers matter in Lotto Max?
No. Each number has a 13.5% chance to be a main number in the next draw. Past draws do not change it.