What?! Only 131? prizes on the 2012 Canadian Cancer Society ~ Daffodil Daily Lottery!

The total number of prizes is not listed online or in the brochure we received by mail, the 2012 Canadian Cancer Society ~ Daffodil Daily Lottery has only 131 prizes for 250,000 tickets available based on an email we received from them. From the calendar we counted 122 prizes, we might be missing something.

March 30 – 10 prizes

The month of April – 102 prizes

May 7 – 10 prizes

Total of 122 prizes

We like to check out all lotteries – charitable and government lotteries. When we see something we like or do NOT LIKE, you will read it on LotterySquirrel.com. We have in the past purchased tickets on the Cancer lottery, but will be passing on the 2012 Canadian Cancer Society ~ Daffodil Daily Lottery and NOT buying a ticket. The 2011 Cancer Lottery omitted the number of prizes as well.

We like to see the following in advertisements and on the website of all charitable lotteries:

Number of tickets for sale / printed.
Number of prizes and cash value.
Cost of tickets.
Ticket sales deadlines – ie bonus draws, early bird, final draws, etc.
Draw dates

When a lottery does not follow the above or intentionally omits something from the above, we do not feel it is worthy of our hard-earned money. Recently we got a nicely printed brochure on the 2012 Canadian Cancer Society ~ Daffodil Daily Lottery, but the Number of prizes was omitted and just the value of prizes listed. It is great all prizes have a cash value, but not listing the number of prizes does not help people make an informed decision. We emailed asking for the number of prizes and received this reply.

Here is the information you are looking for;

250,000 tickets for sale
131 prizes available
Total value of the prizes is $6,627.520.39

Dear Cancer Lottery
How many prizes are being given away? I cannot find this on your site or in your brochure.

I would like to know total number of prizes before deciding to purchase a ticket.

I could not find this information listed on your site.

http://lottery.heartandstroke.on.ca/regulations.html Heart and Stoke lists total prizes.
Prizes: 71,654 prizes, at a value of $10,136,726 (including all taxes and freight), will be awarded.

http://www.helpconquercancer.ca/home/rules.php The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
32,831 prizes will be awarded, valued at $13,397,208.45 (including all taxes and freight). Only 377,000 tickets will be sold.

http://sickkidslottery.ca/rules-and-regulations/ The Hospital for Sick Children and SickKids Foundation
There will be 262,000 tickets printed (250,000 will be available for sale, 12,000 will be awarded as prizes). The total number of prizes to be awarded is 14,605. The total value of all prizes is $3,085,186.92

Please check for yourself and visit the links below:

http://lottery.cancer.ca/daffodil/rules-and-regulations.aspx
There are only 250,000 tickets available. Tickets are $100 each or 3 for $250. Ticket purchases are not tax deductible. All tickets in a 3-Pack must contain the same names and mailing address. 3-Pack tickets can only be mailed to the address of the primary ticket purchaser. All tickets will be issued in sequential order. The total value of all prizes is $6,627,520.39, inclusive of all applicable taxes and freight

What are the odds of winning in this lottery?
This lottery does not present the same kind of ‘odds’ that other lotteries promote. Rather than offer thousands of little prizes and only a couple of large ones, we offer ONLY big prizes. In fact, this lottery provides Ontarians with the ‘best chance to win a big prize’, the ‘best chance to win a car’ and the ‘best chance to win $1,000,000.

We do agree listing odds of winning can fool people into thinking they have a better chance or they are going to win. When lotteries use odds like 1 in 3 you will win, we save our money. (BC charitable lotteries list the odds of winning a grand prize — Bravo!)

Knowing there are only 131 prizes (or our count of 122), would you buy a $100 ticket or 3 for $250 on the 2012 Canadian Cancer Society ~ Daffodil Daily Lottery?

Are you upset they are allowed to omit the number of prizes?

Has reading this post changed your mind about supporting this lottery or will you be asking for a refund?

We are not saying the work of the Canadian Cancer Society is not of value. We are saying NO lottery should be allowed to sell lottery tickets without publishing the number of prizes, so people can make an informed decision. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario should be addressing the issue of not listing total number of prizes. If it is not a law, it should be.