The new Lotto 6/49: Gold Ball Draws and more

(CTV Saskatoon file photo)

It’s been 40 years since the launch of Lotto 6/49. Sunday marked the latest evolution for the popular game in Saskatchewan.

Under the new format, the main draw of six numbers between one and 49 will remain as the “Classic Draw.” The draw will carry a $5 million jackpot.

The marquee game sees the previous $1 million guaranteed prize draw become the Gold Ball Draw.

The Gold Ball Draw works as an elimination style draw which determines how much the guaranteed prize winner receives, according to a Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) news release.

The draw includes 29 white balls and a single gold ball. If a white ball is drawn, the winner will receive $1 million.

If a gold ball is drawn, the winner receives the $10 million jackpot.

The white balls will continue to be removed, and $2 million added to the Gold Ball Jackpot, every draw the gold ball is not drawn.

If white has been drawn on every draw for 29 consecutive draws, only the gold ball will remain, and the jackpot will be won on the last draw of the sequence. In this situation, the jackpot will exceed $60 million.

The largest Lotto 6/49 winner in Saskatchewan was $20 million, won in Carrot River in 2010.

Prior to the new Lotto 6/49 format taking effect, all jackpots were awarded on Sept. 10. The WCLC noted in its release that there will be no carryover from the Sept. 10 draw and the Sept. 14 draw.