Lotteries

Lightning Lotto Odds, Prizes and Jackpot Growth

Lightning Lotto gives three quick pick lines per play. Below: the odds of every OLG prize, how the WCLC version differs and how much of each play goes into the growing jackpot.

Top prize (5/5)1 in 635,6280.00016% chance, one $2 play (3 lines)
Any prize1 in 4.5✓ as published at least one win: 1 in 4.8
Fixed prizes pay back32.2%$0.32 of every $1, on average. jackpot and pool prizes not counted

Out of 100,000 plays, about 22,359 win a prize. The top prize: about one winner in every 6 such crowds of 100,000.

2/5: 20,8363/5: 1,4884/5: 33.84/5 + Bonus: 0.79

MatchPrizeOddsPer 100,000
5/5Jackpot1 in 635,6280.00016% ✓ as published0.16
4/5 + Bonus$5,0001 in 127,1260.00079% ✓ as published0.79
4/5$2501 in 2,9560.034% ✓ as published33.8
3/5$71 in 67.21.49% ✓ as published1,488
2/5$21 in 4.820.8% ✓ as published20,836
How it is calculated

Source: OLG game conditions checked Oct 29, 2026 · OLG page checked Oct 29, 2026

Chance of sharing a jackpot →

Woman holding a cardboard lightning bolt over her shoulder

How one ticket works

  1. Choose the number of playsOne to five plays per ticket. Lightning Lotto is quick pick only: the terminal chooses all numbers.
  2. Get three lines per playEach play is three Selections. Each Selection is five random numbers out of forty-nine.
  3. Numbers drawn before salesFor each draw, five numbers plus one bonus number are drawn before ticket sales start.
  4. Check each lineA line wins by matching at least two drawn numbers. The bonus number counts only in some tiers.

Every prize at OLG

MatchOLG odds per playPrize type
5 of 51 in 635,628Growing jackpot
4 of 5 + bonus1 in 127,126Fixed prize
4 of 51 in 2,956Fixed prize
3 of 51 in 67.2Fixed prize
2 of 51 in 4.8Fixed prize
Any prize1 in 4.47–

Odds are for one play of three lines, from OLG's game conditions. WCLC lists the same odds for the top tiers and adds bonus tiers.

OLG vs WCLC

OLG (Ontario)

  • Jackpot gets 17.93% of each play
  • Average return: 32.2% of sales
  • Bonus number counts only with 4 of 5
  • The same line can appear twice on a ticket

WCLC (Western Canada)

  • Jackpot gets 21.18% of each play
  • Average return: 33.6% of sales
  • Bonus also counts with 3 of 5 and 2 of 5
  • No line is issued twice on one ticket
  • Play price is higher than at OLG

Jackpot growth per play

Jackpot growth = plays sold × play price × jackpot share

Example: For example, each OLG play adds 17.93% of its price to the jackpot; each WCLC play adds 21.18%.

Where to read more

Lotteries in Ontario

OLG games, their odds and the minimum age in Ontario.

Lotteries in Alberta

Games sold in a WCLC province, with odds and age rules.

How jackpots grow

Growing jackpots, rollovers and where the money for the top prize comes from.

Terms on this page

Selection
One line of five quick pick numbers.
Play
Three Selections sold together at one price.
Growing jackpot
The top prize. It rises by a fixed share of every play until a line matches 5 of 5.
Bonus number
An extra drawn number that counts only for some prize tiers.
Return
The share of sales paid back as prizes, on average.

Sources

Questions

What are the odds of Lightning Lotto?

At OLG the jackpot odds are 1 in 635,628 per play of three lines. The odds of any prize are 1 in 4.47, and the smallest prize, 2 of 5, has odds of 1 in 4.8.

How does the Lightning Lotto jackpot grow?

Every play adds a fixed share of its price: 17.93% at OLG and 21.18% at WCLC. The jackpot keeps growing until a line matches 5 of 5.

Is Lightning Lotto sold outside Ontario?

Yes. WCLC runs its own version in Western Canada, with a different play price, extra bonus tiers and a jackpot share of 21.18%.

Can I choose my own numbers in OLG Lightning Lotto?

No. Lightning Lotto is sold as quick pick only. The terminal generates every line, and each line has the same chance as any other.