Lotteries
Lotto 6/49 How to Play: One Ticket, Two Draws
One Lotto 6/49 play costs $3 and enters two draws: the Classic Draw of numbers and the Gold Ball Draw. Below: what each draw pays and how one play works.
- 10
- 14
- 21
- 22
- 38
- 49
Classic Draw
Gold Ball Draw
The prize ball set
Each white ball drawn is taken out, so the gold ball gets more likely with every draw. After the gold ball comes up, the set starts again with 30 balls.
Where the $3 of one play goes
Draw FundPrize FundNot set aside for prizes
Your chance in the Gold Ball Draw is one in the number of Gold Ball Draw Numbers issued for that draw, which depends on sales.
How it is calculated
Source: OLG game conditions checked Oct 29, 2026 · OLG page checked Oct 29, 2026
Two draws on one ticket
Classic Draw
- You pick six numbers from one to forty-nine
- Six main numbers and one bonus number are drawn
- Match all six: a share of a fixed jackpot
- Smaller tiers pay down to a free play
Gold Ball Draw
- The computer prints a ten-digit Gold Ball Draw Number on each play
- You cannot choose this number
- One number is drawn from all numbers issued for the draw
- Its holder then gets one prize ball drawn
- Prize: $1,000,000 or the Gold Ball Jackpot
One play, step by step
- Pay for a playEach play costs $3 per draw. You choose six numbers from one to forty-nine.
- Get your ticketThe ticket shows the draw date, your six numbers and your ten-digit Gold Ball Draw Number.
- Wait for the drawLotto 6/49 draws are on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Check the Classic DrawCompare your six numbers with the six main numbers and the bonus number.
- Check the Gold Ball DrawIf your ten-digit number is the one drawn, you get the prize ball draw.
- White ball or Gold BallA white ball pays the fixed prize. The Gold Ball pays the Gold Ball Jackpot. See Gold Ball odds.
Classic Draw prize tiers
| Match | What you need | Prize type |
|---|---|---|
| 6 of 6 | All six main numbers | Fixed jackpot, shared between winners |
| 5 of 6 + bonus | Five main numbers and the bonus | Share of the prize pool |
| 5 of 6 | Five main numbers | Share of the prize pool |
| 4 of 6 | Four main numbers | Share of the prize pool |
| 3 of 6 | Three main numbers | Fixed cash prize |
| 2 of 6 + bonus | Two main numbers and the bonus | Fixed cash prize |
| 2 of 6 | Two main numbers | Free play |
Amounts and odds for each tier: Lotto 6/49 odds.
Rule facts at a glance
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Price per play | $3 |
| Numbers you pick | Six, from one to forty-nine |
| Numbers drawn | Six main numbers plus one bonus number |
| Possible selections | 13,983,816 |
| Draw days | Wednesday and Saturday |
| Gold Ball Draw Number | Ten digits, printed by the computer |
| Claim period | Limited, counted from the draw date |
| Current game conditions | In effect since 2024 |
More about Lotto 6/49
Odds of each prize
The chance of every Classic Draw tier for one selection.
Gold Ball odds
How many white balls are left and what that means for the prize ball draw.
What changed
The Gold Ball Draw and the fixed jackpot compared with the old game.
Add-on games
Encore, Extra and Tag are separate games with their own odds.
Sources
- OLG – Terminal hours and draw information · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – Lotto 6/49 Game Conditions · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – About Lotto 6/49 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – Conditions de jeu du Lotto 6/49 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- WCLC – Lotto 6/49 Game Conditions, revision 2022-02-23 · checked Oct 29, 2026
Questions
How does Lotto 6/49 work now?
Each play has six numbers you choose and a ten-digit Gold Ball Draw Number from the computer. Your six numbers play the Classic Draw; the ten-digit number plays the Gold Ball Draw.
What is the Gold Ball draw in Lotto 6/49?
One Gold Ball Draw Number is drawn from all numbers issued for the draw. Its holder gets one prize ball drawn, and the prize is $1,000,000 or the Gold Ball Jackpot, depending on the ball.
How much is a Lotto 6/49 ticket?
One play costs $3 per draw. A winning ticket that pays a free play can be exchanged for a play.
What are the Lotto 6/49 draw days?
Lotto 6/49 draws are held on Wednesday and Saturday. The ticket shows the draw date for each play.
What prizes does Lotto 6/49 pay?
The Classic Draw pays from a free play for 2 of 6 up to a shared fixed jackpot for 6 of 6. The Gold Ball Draw pays $1,000,000 or the Gold Ball Jackpot.