Frequently Asked Questions
WATCH: Here's how we draw a winner in the Thunder Bay 50/50!
Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions?
1) "Why don't you broadcast the draws live on TV?"
2) "How do they know all the numbers are included?"
3) "How do they do the draw?
We work with an approved Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario online raffle service provider! A full list of providers can be found here: https://www.agco.ca/lottery-and-gaming/list-electronic-raffle-suppliers-and-solutions! These vendors are required to go through a comprehensive approval process to gain the privilege of offering there services to programs like ours!
We also work with Grant Thornton LLP who observe our draws in real-time! This isn't a legal requirement, but we've chosen to do so anyways!
< Back to the Thunder Bay 50/50
General Questions
Purchasing Tickets
What are the Prizes?
Winner Announcements & Claiming Your Prize
General Questions
Q: How does this 50/50 work?
A: Administered by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation and licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the 50/50 raffle is a game wherein individuals purchase tickets for the opportunity to win 50% of the total money raised through the sale of 50/50 tickets.
Q: Where does the rest of the money raised go?
A: Net proceeds support the highest priority equipment needs of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. To learn more about the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation please visit healthsciencesfoundation.ca
Purchasing Tickets
Q: Where can I buy tickets?
A: You can buy tickets online at thunderbay5050.ca or in person at the Thunder Bay 50/50 store in Intercity Shopping Centre.
Q: Who is eligible to buy 50/50 draw tickets?
A: Anyone currently in Ontario who is not Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation Staff nor Board of Directors are eligible to buy tickets and win the prize(s).
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre staff, volunteers, physicians, patients, and families are all eligible to buy tickets and win the prize(s).
You must be over 18 to purchase tickets and/or claim a prize.
Q: I'm blocked from purchasing. What do I do?
A: In order to purchase tickets online, our website is required to know your location. You must be located within the Province of Ontario, Canada at the time of purchase. If you are unable to access the site it may be due to one of the following reasons:
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You are using satellite Internet (i.e. Starlink) which often makes websites think you are in Manitoba or the USA.
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You declined the website request to access your location
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Your device's location settings are permanently disabled
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You are located outside of the Province of Ontario, Canada and unfortunately are not able to purchase tickets
Please ensure the following:
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Your device settings have Location Services enabled
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You allow the website to access your location
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If your issues persist, try closing the website, clear your browser caches, and try visiting the site again
If you have access to a mobile phone with data and service, please turn off the wifi on your phone then use that phone to purchase tickets at www.thunderbay5050.ca
If you're still unable to purchase, please see the Location Troubleshooting Guide to help you.
Q: When do sales close?
A: Raffle ticket sales close at 11:59 pm ET on the last Thursday of every month. Read the Official Rules for Play to find the exact dates for each draw.
Q: What payment methods are accepted?
A: When buying tickets online at thunderbay5050.ca, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express will be accepted. Regrettably, we do not accept cheque, money orders, nor bank and/or electronic transfers.
Note: The transaction will appear on your credit card bill as "Thunder Bay Regional H Thunder Bay ON"
Q: Where's my ticket?
A: Purchased tickets are delivered to the e-mail address supplied at time of purchase. Please allow 12 hours for the e-mail to be sent, as servers may sometimes be slow. Please remember to check your spam and junk, as some e-mail services may incorrectly flag your incoming tickets. Tickets are delivered as "Thunder Bay 5050" from noreply@ascendfs.com. If you have not received your tickets after 12 hours, please e-mail info@thunderbay5050.ca.
Q: I didn't receive my tickets - what do I do?
A: First, please check your junk mail and spam folders, tickets can sometimes be filtered due to strict filters. Tickets are delivered as "Thunder Bay 5050" from noreply@ascendfs.com. Whitelist this address with your email provider. If you check spam and still can't find your tickets, please contact info@thunderbay5050.ca with:
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Your name
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The name the tickets were purchased under
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When you purchased the tickets
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The email address the tickets should have been sent to
We will check into the purchase, and get in touch with you.
Note: We have been made aware of some instances where people with Tbaytel or Shaw email addresses are not receiving their tickets. Please email info@thunderbay5050.ca with the information listed above and we will resend your tickets to you.
Q: How are the tickets structured?
A: When you buy a raffle ticket online or in-person, you will receive a ticket with several “numbers.” Each number, printed directly on your ticket, represents a chance to win. You can purchase 5 numbers for $10.00, 30 numbers for $20.00, 150 numbers for $50.00, or 300 numbers for $75. You will receive a digital ticket via the e-mail address supplied at time of purchase. The winning ticket must be presented to claim the prize. No specific numbers can be given as numbers are generated randomly.
Q: Can I buy more than one ticket?
A: Yes, you can purchase more than one ticket. Each purchase will be a separate transaction, and you will receive separate tickets. For instance, if you wished to purchase $30 worth of tickets, you can buy 30 numbers for $20.00, and 5 numbers for $10 on a second ticket. You may only purchase five tickets per transaction.
Q: Do my tickets enter me into every monthly draw?
A: No. Tickets purchased for the current Thunder Bay 50/50 draw are only eligible for the current draw, and do not gain you entry into future Thunder Bay 50/50 draws. There will be a brand new Thunder Bay 50/50 every month starting after the initial draw on February 26th, 2021. The jackpot resets for each monthly draw, and ticket sales start anew.
Q: Can people buy over the phone?
A: We are exploring this option for our future 50/50 raffles, but unfortunately we are not selling tickets over the phone at this time. Please visit thunderbay5050.ca to purchase tickets.
Q: Can I purchase tickets as a gift for someone else or as a group?
A: Yes, this is possible. NOTE: Some credit card companies require the Billing Address to match what they have on file, so this may not work for everyone.
Please follow these steps to purchase the tickets in someone else's name or as a group:
In Step 1:
- Choose the number of tickets you'd like to purchase.
In Step 2:
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Enter the name and address of the person you would like to gift the tickets to.
or -
If it's a group ticket, use the group leader's name and add "in trust" after the last name. (Only one person's name can be on the ticket.)
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You can either enter your email address if you want to hold the ticket until it's time to give it to them
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or email it directly to them by typing their email address into the field.
In Step 3:
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Enter your own info as the purchaser.
Q: Can I buy tickets as a gift for someone?
A: Yes! Follow the steps below.
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Go to www.thunderbay5050.ca and click "Buy Now"
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Select a ticket package
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Write THEIR name & address in the Billing Information area
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Enter YOUR email if you'd like to send the tickets to them yourself,
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or enter THEIR email if you'd like the tickets to be emailed directly to them right after the purchase
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Pay with your credit card and you're all done! The tickets will now be in THEIR name.
The gift recipient must be 18 or older. Purchaser must be in Ontario at time of purchase. Gift recipient does not need to be in Ontario.
Q: Will I receive a tax receipt for my purchase?
A: We do not issue tax receipts for participation in the 50/50 raffle. Lottery and/or any gaming tickets where there is the possibility to win a prize, are not tax deductible in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency policies.
Q: I purchased a ticket, can I get a refund?
A: Each request will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. If the request for a refund has merit and is made prior to the draw, we will determine if a refund is eligible. Ticket purchases are non-refundable after any draw has occurred.
If you have found an issue with your purchase and would like to inquire, contact our office at 807-345-4673 or info@thunderbay5050.ca
Q: A message saying "Error 4" appeared when I tried to purchase.
A: Error 4 occurs when payment is not able to go through on your credit card or your credit card company has blocked the payment. Please ensure that the credit card information you entered is correct, that the card has been activated and is not expired, and that the Billing Address matches what your credit card company has on file.
If all of this information is correct but the error still occurs please contact your credit card company.
Note: Debit cards are not accepted at this time.
What are the Prizes?
Q: What is the grand prize?
A: The grand prize is 50% of the gross sales raised for the specific raffle. This raffle has a guaranteed minimum grand prize of $5,000.
Q: When is the grand prize draw?
A: The Grand Prize draw for each Thunder Bay 50/50 is at 11:00 AM ET on the last Friday of every month. Winning number is chosen by Random Number Generation and witnessed by representatives from Grant Thornton LLP. Read the Official Rules for Play to find the exact dates of each draw.
Q: How do the early bird prizes work?
A: By purchasing a ticket before the early bird draw dates, you will be entered into the early bird draw. The winning number for any early bird prize is eligible to win any other early bird prizes, and can still win the grand prize. If a winning ticket has multiple numbers purchased, that ticket has a chance to win multiple early bird prizes.
Q: What are the early bird prizes?
A: For information on each raffle's Early Bird draws read the Official Rules for Play.
Q: When are the early bird prize draws?
A: For information on each raffle's Early Bird draws read the Official Rules for Play.
Winner Announcements & Claiming Your Prize
Q: When and where will the winning number be announced?
A: Any winning numbers (for either early bird prizes or the grand prize) will be posted on thunderbay5050.ca immediately following the respective draw.
Q: Do I need my ticket to get the money?
A: Yes. You will have a digital ticket in your e-mail that you must present to claim the prize, along with Photo ID. All prize payments will be made by cheque.
All prizes must be claimed within 6 months. All unclaimed prizes will be subject to AGCO unclaimed prize policy and procedure.
Q: Am I notified if I win?
A: We will attempt to contact you should your ticket purchase(s) be associated with any winning number(s).
Q: I got a call from someone asking for my banking information. Is this a legit call?
A: We will never ask you for your banking details. All of our 50/50 prizes are distributed via cheque. Cheques can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks for processing.
Lottery License #RAF1222518