OLG Respects Players Privacy, but Where are the Winners?

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is here to meet players’ expectations and make them feel confident their jackpot is safe. A winner hailing from Hamilton made it clear they do not want their identity permanently revealed, along with their face. The winner collected their CA$5-million Lotto 6/49 jackpot but decided to remain anonymous past the 30-day mandatory period.

Lottery winners usually have their identity revealed upon bagging their lottery prize. Soon after a ticket has been identified as the winning one, the Crown corporation reveals its region of purchase, so that lottery players have a heads up regarding a potential win. They have as many as 52 weeks to check their pockets, drawers, and bags for potential misplaced lottery tickets.

Lottery Winners Galore

If they contact the lottery corporation in a timely manner, they have the chance to collect their prize and take a photo with the coveted cheque. This is the moment when their identity is revealed along with their face. Some people do not want this type of publicity and they protect their privacy, a thing Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation takes into account.

• Lotto 6/49 Super Draw Sprinkles CA$1m Prizes across Provinces

The individual hailing from Hamilton decided to remain anonymous. They were eligible for a cash payout of CA$5 million thanks to a winning ticket sold ahead of the February 6, 2019 Lotto 6/49 draw. The winner was quick to contact the lottery corporation and claim their prize in a timely manner, only a few days following the special date. Between February 11 and March 11, 2019, the name of the winner was visible on the official OLG site.

• Quebec Flocks of Players Won Big via Simple Lotto Tickets

However, past that point, it was removed and it remains a secret. Tony Bitonti, OLG Senior Manager of Media Relations, stated that this is a mandatory step, but players could choose to have their name removed from the webpage past the 30-day mandatory period. It has been clarified that this is a condition the winner has agreed on.

OLG Respects Privacy

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation clarified that it takes into account the preferences of each and every lottery winner and acts accordingly. People not wanting the attention on themselves are spared the publicity and press release coming with the jackpot collecting ceremony. Lotto 6/49 is among the preferred lottery offerings, but its most recent draw came and went without a major winner.

• British Columbia Attracted Record-Breaking CA$60m Lotto MAX Windfall in 2019

The CA$7 million it brought remained untouched, as there was no one to match the needed numbers. January 29 is projected to bring a CA$9 million jackpot, following several successful draws over the past few weeks. A ticket sold in Calgary became eligible for the cash prize of CA$1 million, marking Canada’s latest lotto millionaire.

• Let’s See Who Won the Biggest Lotto MAX Jackpots in Ontario this Year

Friday night was also uneventful for Lotto MAX, the other popular draw-based game. January 24 brought a Main prize amounting to CA$17 million, but when all was said and done, not a single ticket managed to make it to the grand jackpot. This lottery game usually sees big leaps between draws and January 28 is no exception. The Main prize would swell to CA$22 million this Thursday.