A historic milestone has been reached in the Ontario gaming landscape as the province celebrates its first-ever winner of the newly introduced Lotto Max Maxplus prize. During the Friday night draw on April 17, 2026, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) confirmed that one of the four national $100,000 prizes was won by a ticket sold in Bruce County. This marks a significant moment since the “Maxplus” secondary draw was launched to provide additional winning opportunities alongside the main jackpot. While no one across the country matched the seven main numbers for the $30 million jackpot, the emergence of the first regional Maxplus winner has generated significant excitement among lottery enthusiasts.
The Lotto Max Maxplus prize is part of a fresh suite of offerings from the OLG, designed to keep the game engaging even when the primary jackpot remains unclaimed. In the recent draw, 30 of these $100,000 prizes were available. Nationally, four tickets were successful, with the other three winning tickets sold in Quebec, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. For residents of the Durham Region, this provincial win serves as a reminder that the new secondary draw is officially producing local winners, increasing the stakes for those playing in communities like Ajax, Pickering, and Whitby.
The weekend proved to be exceptionally lucrative for lottery players across Ontario beyond the Lotto Max Maxplus prize. Saturday night’s Lotto 6/49 draw saw the guaranteed $1 million Gold Ball prize awarded to a ticket sold in Guelph. Although the $5 million Classic Jackpot went unclaimed, two second-place prizes worth over $124,000 each were won, with one ticket traced back to Renfrew County. Furthermore, the Lottario draw resulted in a $250,000 jackpot split between two winners, with winning tickets sold in Guelph and Oakville.
The introduction of the Lotto Max Maxplus prize has changed the strategy for many regular players, as the secondary numbers provide a substantial windfall even if the main draw results are elusive. The winning numbers for the Maxplus draw covered a wide spectrum, and the OLG continues to encourage players to check their tickets using the OLG app or at authorized retailers. With millions of dollars handed out over the weekend, the focus remains on the Bruce County winner who has now secured a place in history as the first Ontarian to claim this specific prize since its high-profile debut.
As the Lotto Max jackpot grows for the next draw, the success of the Lotto Max Maxplus prize rollout suggests that secondary winning tiers are becoming a major draw for the public. The OLG reinvests 100 per cent of its profits back into Ontario, supporting critical services and community infrastructure. For those in Durham Region looking to try their luck, the upcoming draws offer renewed hope that the next Maxplus or jackpot-winning ticket could be found right here in the heart of the GTA.
