Calculators
Lottery Pool Calculator: Shares to the Cent
Enter each person's contribution and a prize amount. The calculator splits the prize by money paid, to the exact cent, and shows the group's odds for the lines bought.
- Alex
- Sam
- Jordan
- Taylor
| Member | Put in | Share | Gets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | $20 | 33.33% | $333,333.33 |
| Sam | $20 | 33.33% | $333,333.33 |
| Jordan | $10 | 16.67% | $166,666.67 +1 cent |
| Taylor | $10 | 16.67% | $166,666.67 +1 cent |
Each member gets the exact share rounded down to the cent; the few cents left over go one each to the largest remainders (equal remainders: earlier in the list first).
The group’s chance
Pooling multiplies the chance by the number of lines and divides the prize by the shares: the average value per dollar stays the same. What changes is how often the group wins something.
In Canada a lottery prize is not taxed as income; interest earned on it is. A written agreement on who paid and who shares helps when the prize is claimed. This page is arithmetic, not legal advice.
Source: olg.ca: lotto max (2026-10-29) · canada.ca: amounts that taxed (2026-10-29)
How it is calculated
Exact share = prize × what the member put in ÷ total put in. Each share is rounded down to the cent; the cents left over go to the largest remainders.
Total put in$60.00
Prize$1,000,000.00
Group chance with all different lines = lines × chance of one line.
One line1 in 133,784,560
Lines20
Shares in one example
| Item | For example |
|---|---|
| People in the pool | 10 |
| What they paid | 4 × $10, 3 × $5 and 3 × $2 |
| Prize to split | $1,000,000 |
| Share by amount paid | $10 → $163,934.43, $5 → $81,967.21 and $2 → $32,786.88 or $32,786.89 |
Leftover cents go to the largest remainders, so the shares add up to the full prize and no cent is lost.
How one share is calculated
share = prize × (what you paid ÷ total paid by the group)
Example: For example, 4 × $10, 3 × $5 and 3 × $2 on a prize of $1,000,000 gives $10 → $163,934.43, $5 → $81,967.21 and $2 → $32,786.88 or $32,786.89.
Run a pool without arguments
- Agree in writingWrite down who is in, what each person pays, which games and draws, and how prizes are split.
- Record numbers and paymentsKeep a list of payments and a photo of every ticket. Share it with the whole group before the draw.
- Keep the original ticket safeName one person to hold it. ILC rules ask for the original winning ticket with a written claim.
- Claim in timeUnder ILC rules, the claim and original ticket must arrive within 1 year of the draw, or earlier if the ticket says so. See claim periods.
Group odds in numbers
One Lotto Max play
1 in 33,446,140Published odds of 7 of 7 for one play in the Lotto Max game conditions.
More plays in the pool
Each extra play adds one more chance. Each chance costs the same, so the price per chance does not change.
Same odds for every play
Quick pick and chosen numbers have the same chance. Past draws do not change the next one.
Many draws in a row
See how a pool's balance moves over many simulated draws.
Buying alone or in a pool
Buying alone
- You pay the full price of each play.
- You keep the whole prize.
- Each play has the same jackpot odds.
Buying in a pool
- You pay part of the price of each play.
- You get a share of any prize, by money paid.
- Each play has the same jackpot odds.
- The group needs records and one ticket holder.
Sources
- Canada Revenue Agency – Amounts that are not reported or taxed · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Canada Revenue Agency – Income Tax Folio S3-F9-C1, Lottery Winnings · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Loto-Québec – Rules and Regulations Respecting Lotteries and Lottery Tickets · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Loto-Québec – Règlements relatifs aux loteries et billets de loterie · checked Oct 29, 2026
- 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
- Agence du revenu du Canada – Montants non déclarés et non imposables · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Agence du revenu du Canada – Folio de l’impôt sur le revenu S3-F9-C1, Gains de loterie · checked Oct 29, 2026
Questions
How do you split lottery winnings in a pool?
The calculator splits by money paid: share = prize × your payment ÷ group total. For example, 4 × $10, 3 × $5 and 3 × $2 on $1,000,000 gives $10 → $163,934.43, $5 → $81,967.21 and $2 → $32,786.88 or $32,786.89.
Does a lottery pool change the odds of winning?
Each play has the same odds: for the Lotto Max jackpot, 1 in 33,446,140 per play. A pool holds more plays, so the group has more chances, but each chance costs the same and any prize is shared.
Do I need a lottery pool agreement?
A written note of who paid, which tickets and how prizes are split helps avoid arguments later. This page is not legal advice; what an agreement means depends on the laws where you live.
How long does a lottery pool have to claim a prize?
Under ILC rules, the written claim and original ticket must be delivered within 1 year of the draw date, or by an earlier date shown on the ticket. See claim periods.
Is a lottery pool prize taxed in Canada?
CRA says lottery winnings of any amount are not taxed, unless the prize is income from employment, a business or property, or a prize for achievement. Interest on invested winnings must be reported.