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FAQ


 

GENERAL HELP

 

Q1: How does the 50/50 Inspiration Lottery work?

Administered by Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation and licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), the 50/50 Inspiration Lottery is a game wherein individuals purchase tickets for the opportunity to win 50 per cent of the total money raised through the sale of 50/50 tickets.

 

Q2: Where does the rest of the money raised go?

Net proceeds support the highest-priority needs of Hamilton Health Sciences, including: Hamilton General Hospital, Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, McMaster Children’s Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital and all of their associated programs. To learn more about the Foundation, visit hamiltonhealth.ca.

 

Q3: Who is eligible to buy 50/50 draw tickets?

If you meet the following criteria, you are eligible to purchase 50/50 tickets:

  • Must be 18 years of age or olderat the time of purchase
  • Must be a resident of Ontario at the time of purchase.
  • Mustnot be one an employee of Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation


    Q4: Where can I buy tickets?

    Tickets can be purchased only online at https://5050inspirationlottery.ca.

     

    Q5: Can I buy more than one ticket?

    Yes! You can purchase more than one ticket and you will receive separate tickets. For example, if you wish to support Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation with $75, you can buy 150 tickets for $50 and another 30 tickets for $25.


    Q6: What are the odds of winning?

    The odds of winning the prize are based on the number of tickets sold. There is no limit to the number of tickets that may be sold.


    Q7: How is the winning number drawn?

    A unique winning number is randomly generated and issued by the electronic 50/50 system out of the numbers purchased for this particular draw. The mechanism for selecting the winning number is a computer-based random number generator that has been certified by the AGCO.

     

    Q8: Which payment methods are accepted?

    When buying tickets online, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Visa and Mastercard debit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay will be accepted. Regrettably, we do not accept cheques, money orders, or bank and/or electronic transfers.

     

    Q9: When is the grand prize deadline and draw?

    By purchasing a ticket by the grand prize deadlines, you will be entered into the early bird and grand prize draws. The deadlines are:

    1. The deadline to purchase tickets is February 20, 2025 until 11:59 p.m. The grand prize draw will take place on February 21, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. 
    2. The deadline to purchase tickets is April 10, 2025 until 11:59 p.m. The grand prize draw will take place on April 11, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
    3. The deadline to purchase tickets is October 2, 2025 until 11:59 p.m. The grand prize draw will take place on October 3, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
    4. The deadline to purchase tickets is 11:59 pm on December 18, 2025. The winning number for the grand prize will be drawn on December 19, 2025 at 11:00 am.

    Q10: How do the early bird prizes work? When are the deadlines and draws?

    Each early bird prize is $1,000.

    By purchasing a ticket by the early bird deadlines, you will be entered into the  and grand prize draws. The deadlines are:

    1. All tickets purchased by 11:59 pm on January 30, 2025 will be eligible for the first early bird draw that will take place at 11:00 am on January 31, 2025.
    2. All tickets purchased by 11:59 pm on March 20, 2025 will be eligible for the first early bird draw that will take place at 11:00 am on March 21, 2025.
    3. All tickets purchased by 11:59 pm on April 1, 2025 will be eligible for the second early bird draw that will take place at 11:00 am on April 2, 2025.
    4. All tickets purchased by 11:59 pm on September 11, 2025 will be eligible for the first early bird draw that will take place at 11:00 am on September 12, 2025.
    5. All tickets purchased by 11:59 pm on September 23, 2025 will be eligible for the second early bird draw that will take place at 11:00 am on September 24, 2025.
    6. All tickets purchased by 11:59 p.m. on September 19, 2024 will be eligible for the second early bird draw that will take place on September 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.
    7. All tickets purchased by 11:59 pm on November 27, 2025 will be eligible for the first early bird draw that will take place at 11:00 am on November 28, 2025.
    8. All tickets purchased by 11:59 pm on December 9, 2025 will be eligible for the second early bird draw that will take place at 11:00 am on December 10, 2025.

      Winning numbers for the early bird prizes can still win the grand prize.

      Q11: When and where will winning numbers be announced?

      Winning numbers for the early bird prizes and grand prize will be posted on inspirationlottery.ca and on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels immediately following the respective draw. They will also be shared on https://5050inspirationlottery.ca.

       

      Q12: How are winners notified?

      Winners will be contacted by phone immediately after each draw. If we are unable to reach the winner by phone, we will contact them by email.

       

      Q13: I cannot access https://5050inspirationlottery.ca. What should I do?

      Your device’s location services must be turned on to verify your location prior to entering the online 50/50 sales platform. Users must also agree to all Terms and Conditions outlined.

       

      Q14: I did not receive my ticket. What should I do?

      If you purchased your 50/50 ticket but did not receive your numbers, please check your junk or spam folders as your email provider may have incorrectly flagged your incoming ticket(s) as spam. If you still do not receive your 50/50 ticket, email inspirationlottery@hhsc.ca and our support staff will re-send your ticket numbers (some verification may be required). If your transaction completed successfully, your numbers will still be part of the draw.

       

      Q15: Do I need my ticket to claim the prize?

      Yes. You will receive a digital ticket by email that you must present to claim the prize.

       

      Q16: Is the purchase of a raffle ticket tax deductible?

      The Canada Revenue Agency guidelines state that we are not able to issue tax receipts for the purchase of raffle tickets, since purchasing a ticket gives the purchaser the opportunity to win a prize.

       

      TECHNICAL HELP

       

      Q1: Why does https://5050inspirationlottery.ca require my location and/or why am I receiving this prompt: “https://5050inspirationlottery.ca would like to use your current location”?

      Your current location is required to confirm eligibility. The raffle will be offered throughout Ontario (the "Raffle Area"). The website will be void outside the raffle area and where prohibited by law, rule, or regulation.



      Q2: What if I already selected “Don't Allow”?

      Reloading the page should cause you to be prompted to share your location again. If you have specified that you never want to share your location, you will need to go into your settings to allow. See below for instructions.



      Q3: What if I receive this prompt: “You must allow your browser to share your location to purchase tickets, please click ‘OK’ to reload this page, then be sure to allow your browser to share your location to share your location when prompted”?

      The browser should reload the page and ask you to share your location upon loading.


      Note: In some browsers, the pop-up may say “close” instead of “OK”.


      Q4: I entered the incorrect email address and did not print my tickets. How can I get my tickets re-sent?

      Go to the Contact page and make a request to have your tickets emailed to the correct email address.


      Q5: What if I cannot purchase tickets on https://5050inspirationlottery.ca due to location issues?

      You may have told your browser to never share your location. You need to change that setting to allow the sale to go through.

       

      Q6: I am trying to process a transaction but it’s not working. What can I do?

      The address you input must match the address of the credit card you want to use for the transaction. Please ensure all fields are inputted correctly.
       

      Q7: The site is not loading properly, and I am not able to get to the checkout page. What can I do?

      Based on the browser you are using, please go to the settings, then history, and clear cookies and cache. Once completed, close the page, reopen, and try again.

      For iOS devices:
      1) Go to the Settings App.
      2) Go to Privacy.
      3) Go into Location Services.
      4) Ensure “Location Services” is on.
      5) Scroll down and click “Safari Websites.”
      6) Make sure that Allow Location Access is set to “While Using the App.”

      Chrome has the same setting if you are using that instead.

      For Android devices (though this may vary by version):
      1) Go to the Settings App.
      2) Go to Location and make sure that it is on.
      3) Go back to previous screen and go to Apps.
      4) Go to Chrome.
      5) Click Permissions.
      6) Ensure that Location is enabled.

      If you are still experiencing problems, go to maps.google.com in your browser and see where it places you.

      For Microsoft Edge:

      If you're encountering issues with location services while using the Microsoft Edge browser on your Windows desktop, it's likely due to permissions related to geolocation access. To resolve this, you can adjust the location permissions within the Windows system settings and the Microsoft Edge browser settings.

      Troubleshooting Steps:

      1. Check Windows System Settings:
        • Access Windows Settings by clicking on the Start menu button and selecting the "Settings" (gear-shaped) icon.
        • Navigate to Privacy Settings and click on "Location" in the left sidebar.
        • Enable Location Access by toggling on the "Allow apps to access your location" switch.
        • Review and manage app permissions, including Microsoft Edge and Maps.
      2. If still encountering issue, check Microsoft Edge Browser Settings:
        • Open the website in the Microsoft Edge browser on your Windows desktop.
        • Access Edge Settings by clicking on the three horizontal dots (or "More" menu) at the top-right corner of the browser window and selecting "Settings."
        • Scroll down to "Cookies and site permissions" and click on it.
        • Under "Site permissions," select the website entry, and click on "Reset permissions."
        • Retry accessing the website and try a purchase.
        • Grant Location Permission in Edge (if prompted) by clicking on the option to allow the website to access your location.

       

      Have more questions? Please email inspirationlottery@hhsc.ca.