EDMONTON -- Players will now have extra time to claim their lottery prizes.
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) announced Tuesday that all prizes that were set to expire between March 17 and Sept. 17, 2020 will be valid for an extra six months.
Draw-based tickets normally expire one year after their draw date.
The decision will allow more physical distancing as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Many lottery retailers are still open but are not allowing customers to redeem winning tickets.
"We don’t want anyone to miss out on a prize because of what’s going on right now," WCLC communications director Kevin van Egdom told CTV News Edmonton on Sunday.
The extension applies to all of WCLC's lottery games:
- Lotto Max
- Lotto 6/49
- Daily GRAND
- Western MAX
- Western 649
- EXTRA
- Pick 2/3/4
- POKER LOTTO
- KENO
- Sport Select games, including PROLINE, POINT SPREAD, OVER/UNDER, POOLS, and PROPS
- Zing instant scratch tickets
"WCLC supports the choices of our players to practice appropriate physical distancing to keep themselves, their families, and their communities safer in accordance with public health advisories," a release from the non-profit organization read.
The Lotto Max jackpot for April 7 is $70 million, plus an additional 20 Maxmillions prizes.
