Calculators
Lotto 6/49 vs BC/49: Same Top Prize Odds, Different Prizes
Lotto 6/49 is national; BC/49 is a BCLC game in British Columbia. Both draw six numbers and a bonus from 49, so the top prize odds per play match. Price, prizes and any-prize odds differ.
Dollar for dollar, the top prize is most likely in BC/49: 3.0 times the chance of Lotto 6/49. No game gives back more than it takes on average.
Lotto 6/49
BC/49
Prize of every tier
Lotto 6/49's Gold Ball draw depends on how many draw numbers are issued and is not in this table.
Highlighted: the better figure in the row. Fixed prizes per $1 count every fixed and shared prize at face value and a free play as one more play; jackpots and prize pools depend on sales and are left out.
How it is calculated
Source: OLG game conditions checked Nov 2, 2026 · OLG page checked Nov 2, 2026 · web.archive.org game conditions checked Oct 29, 2026 · web.archive.org page checked Oct 29, 2026
Same numbers, same top prize odds
| Rule | Lotto 6/49 | BC/49 |
|---|---|---|
| Organiser | ILC, national game | BCLC, British Columbia |
| Numbers drawn | Six main numbers and one bonus | Six main numbers and one bonus |
| Possible combinations | 13,983,816 | 13,983,816 |
| Top prize odds per play | 1 in 13,983,816 | 1 in 13,983,816 |
| Draw days | Wednesday and Saturday | Wednesday and Saturday |
| Price of one play | $3 | $1 |
BC/49 values come from an archived copy of BCLC's game conditions. Other regional games: Lotto 6/49 vs Ontario 49 vs Western 649.
Two ways to pay the top prize
Lotto 6/49
- Top prize: a fixed $5,000,000, split between winners if shared
- Every play also gets a Gold Ball Draw Number
- Gold Ball draw prize: $1,000,000 or the Gold Ball Jackpot
- Details: Gold Ball odds
- Lowest tier: 2 of 6 pays a free play
BC/49
- Top prize: $2,000,000, win or share
- Shared means the amount is split between winners
- No free play tier
- Lowest tier: 2 of 6 + bonus
Any prize per play and per dollar
| Measure | Lotto 6/49 | BC/49 |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest prize tier | 2 of 6 (free play) | 2 of 6 + bonus |
| Any prize per play | 1 in 6.62 | 1 in 32.3 |
| Any prize per dollar spent | 1 in 19.9 | 1 in 32.3 |
BC/49 has no prize for 2 of 6 alone, so any prize is rarer per play and per dollar. All tiers: Lotto 6/49 odds, BC/49 odds.
What comes back per dollar
| Measure | Lotto 6/49 | BC/49 |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed prizes, top prize at face value | 22.6% | 49.9% |
| Fixed prizes, top prize left out | – | 35.6% |
| Share of the price set aside for prize funds | 48.0% | – |
A free play counts as a new play. Lotto 6/49 pays its second to fourth tiers from pools, not counted here, so the fixed-prize rows are not like for like.
The same weekly money for a year
Lotto 6/49 plays a week
4For example, $12 a week buys this many plays at $3 each.
BC/49 plays a week
12The same $12 a week at $1 a play.
Lotto 6/49 top prize, one year
1 in 66,909Chance of the top prize at least once in a year with this budget.
BC/49 top prize, one year
1 in 22,339Chance of the top prize at least once in a year with the same budget.
Lotto 6/49 prizes in a year
31.5Winning plays in a year on average, free plays included.
BC/49 prizes in a year
19.4Winning plays in a year on average. BC/49 has no free play tier.
Sources
- BCLC PlayNow – BC/49 page (archived copy, 2026) · checked Oct 29, 2026
- BCLC – BC/49 Game Conditions and Prize Structure Statement (archived copy) · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – Terminal hours and draw information · checked Nov 2, 2026
- OLG – Lotto 6/49 Game Conditions · checked Nov 2, 2026
- OLG – Conditions de jeu du Lotto 6/49 · checked Nov 2, 2026
- WCLC – Lotto 6/49 Game Conditions, revision 2022-02-23 · checked Nov 2, 2026
Questions
Is BC/49 the same game as Lotto 6/49?
No. Both draw six main numbers and a bonus, so the top prize odds per play are the same. BC/49 is a separate BCLC draw in British Columbia with its own price and prizes. Lotto 6/49 is national.
How do the odds per dollar compare for BC/49 and Lotto 6/49?
For the top prize, BC/49: 1 in 13,983,816 per dollar against 1 in 41,951,448. For any prize, Lotto 6/49: 1 in 19.9 per dollar against 1 in 32.3, because of its free play tier.
Why is any prize rarer in BC/49?
Lotto 6/49 pays a free play for 2 of 6. BC/49's prize table has no such tier. Its lowest prize is for 2 of 6 + bonus. Any prize per play: 1 in 32.3 in BC/49, 1 in 6.62 in Lotto 6/49.
Can one ticket cover both BC/49 and Lotto 6/49?
An archived copy of BCLC's game conditions describes Double Play tickets. On these tickets, one six-number selection is valid for both the BC/49 and the Lotto 6/49 draws on the same date.