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Luck of the Draw
Aired October 25,
2006 at 9pm
on CBC-TV
& October 27, 2006
at 10pm ET
on CBC Newsworld

WATCH the fifth estate ONLINE:
Bob Edmonds
Runs 40:19
REPORTER: Gillian Findlay
PRODUCER: Harvey Cashore
CO-PRODUCER:
Linda Guerriero
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER:
Albert Lee

Video available in Windows Media Player.

BY THE NUMBERS
the fifth estate asked statistician Jeffrey Rosenthal to look at the OLG's numbers. Here's the analysis.
THE OLG

Super 7 machine
The OLG holds the Super 7 draw every Friday night - the draw Bob Edmonds won.
The Ontario Lottery Corporation was created in 1975 by the Ontario provincial government to oversee the creation and dispensation of lotteries to raise funds for promoting physical fitness, sports and recreation in Ontario. As the lotteries became more popular, a portion of these funds was directed towards other causes, such as the operation of hospitals, protection of the environment, and the promotion of arts and culture in the province.

The first lotteries included Wintario (1975) and Lottario (1978). Both games gave players the chance to win upwards of $200,000 per draw for only $1 to play. Instant scratch and win games (1984) and sports betting games (1992) would later join the gaming roster giving Ontario residents almost a dozen different lotteries and games of chance to play each week.

The Ontario Lottery Corporation was merged with the Ontario Casino Corporation in 2000 to form the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). This body was now responsible for the operation of all lotteries and instant scratch and win games, racetracks and sports wagering games, and casinos in the province of Ontario.

In the fiscal year for 2004/2005, the OLG recorded sales of more than $2.3 billion in lotteries, games, and casinos. Of that total, about $1.2 billion were paid out as prizes and more than $860 million went into government-funded programs.

For more on the OLG: www.olg.ca

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