Like any other game of chance, the Lottery has several myths and legends surrounding it – some of which are unique to Canada. The Lottery made its way to Canada in 1970, after their Criminal Code amended their laws to allow the game to be run provincially, and also as a way to fund special projects that benefitted society.
Canadian Lottery | Myths and Legends
Quebec soon jumped onto the trend and created Loto-Quebec, which stood as the first corporation to deal primarily with lotto administrations. From here, other provinces followed suit, as well as the National Lottery finally being formed in 1974 – that still stands today.
With such a rich history, it’s no wonder that Canada’s Lotto fans have developed their own ideas about what does and doesn’t help you win.
Whilst these ideas aren’t true – this is where the word myth comes in – it’s good to know what to look out for when choosing where to play, and what not to listen to! Read on to find out more.
Myth #1: The power of the province
What? Many disgruntled national Lottery players believe that two of the country’s most popular games – Lotto Max and Lotto 649 – are rigged in the favour of Ontario and Quebec.
This Canadian conspiracy goes as far as prospective players asking their friends in the aforementioned states to buy tickets on their behalf, as they truly believe this will increase their “chances” of winning.
Debunked: Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Ontario and Quebec simply have the largest populations – 13.982 and 8.294 million respectively – and therefore have a higher volume of tickets being purchases by their residents.
With a higher volume of people, their governing bodies are also operating on a higher level, perhaps contributing to the residents’ decision to play.
So, if you play Lotto Max at Play Alberta you stand just as much chance of bagging that win as players in neighbouring parts of the country!
Myth #2: Choosing your own numbers increases your chances
What? A lot of players think that choosing their own numbers, perhaps based on personal milestones or “lucky” numbers will give them a slight edge on the outcome of the game, in comparison with allowing the numbers to be generated randomly.
Debunked: Unfortunately, this isn’t true. The outcome of any game of chance, such as the Lottery, is completely random. Because of this, there’s nothing you can do as a player to influence the result of game – every number has an equal chance of being drawn.
Myth #3: Persistence is key
What? This common misconception comes from the belief that certain machines and numbers can be “hot”. This is related to their likeliness of paying out or winning, based on previous performance. Some people like to believe that if they have lost a certain number of times, then they will almost be “due” a win.
Alternatively, you’ll also find that players will often place their belief in “winning streaks” which refers to a series of wins following one another.
For example, if you win a small amount on the Lottery two weeks in a row, you might think that if you enter on the third week, you’ll be due a bigger payout.
Debunked: As the expert advisors at GameSense will continue to inform you, persistence doesn’t pay off when it comes to gambling.
Each time you place a bet, the outcome is completely independent from the previous results. In a nutshell, losing 10 times in a row doesn’t mean that you’re more likely to win on your 11th attempt.
So, now you know what the word-on-the-street is about our much-loved game of Lottery. We all like a good old conspiracy theory every now and again, but when you play the Lottery, we recommend you steer clear of any outlandish theories surrounding the game. Before reading this article, which of these myths did you believe in?