The biggest Lotto 6/49 jackpot in Canadian history - estimated to be worth $55 million – is up for grabs this Saturday and lotto fever is heating up in Alberta, where three of the biggest past 6/49 jackpots have been won.
The winning ticket will break the previous record of $54.3 million, which was claimed by a lucky group of Albertans in Camrose in 2005.
Edmonton was also home to the $49.8 million win in 2009 and a $45.6 million jackpot was won by a ticket bought in Lethbridge last year.
Tickets are sold across Canada and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation says every ticket has the same chance of winning but Albertans appear to be a luckier bunch.
"You know, it's entirely the luck of the draw," Andrea Marantz, with the WCLC, tells CTV News.
"That’s the one thing about these big lotto-style lotteries, every ticket has exactly the same odds as every other ticket. It’s just been very fortunate that Alberta has been home to those three big, big jackpots."
There hasn’t been a Lotto 6/49 jackpot winner for nine consecutive draws so top prizes have been rolling over since March 13.
Marantz says people tend to form groups to play when lottery jackpots are this big.
"We know that when jackpots are really big like this that new groups form, that people like to pool their money and buy tickets together and share tickets amongst themselves," she said.
"We expect there will be a lot of group tickets entered in this draw but any individual ticket could win it."
Chris Laing got involved in an office pool with two of his co-worekrs, dreaming of all they could do if they won the record jackpot.
"$55 million, it's a nice little retirement fund," Laing said. "It's the perfect amount for all of us. You can afford a few of the necessities like your beach house, five or six cars."
Lotto 6/49 tickets can be purchased until 7 p.m. Saturday night.
Many have been lining up to buy tickets at gas stations and lottery kiosks across the city.
"We've been selling a lot of tickets," said Shawn Ahn, manager of a Husky gas station in the west end.
"I'm hoping for somebody winning from my store."
The odds of winning Saturday's $55 million jackpot is one in 14 million.
