Canada selling booby-prize lottery tickets

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The Canadian lottery that regulates sales of scratch-off tickets in three provinces and three territories sells tickets whose grand prizes are already won.

Officials with the Western Canada Lottery Corp in Winnipeg told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. the policy was no secret and customers are advised in small print about the process

WCLC spokeswoman Andrea Marantz told the broadcaster that, before buying tickets, players can check the corporation's Web site, which is updated weekly, to see if the major prize is still available.

She defended continued sales after $100,000 or $1 million prizes had been won, as there were other prizes left.

"Winning $10 on a $2 ticket -- people are happy," she said. "That's an attractive ticket."

Following complaints in the United States, lottery officials in Colorado, Indiana and Virginia revamped the sale of scratch tickets after jackpots are won, the report said.

The WCLC oversees ticket sales in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, along with the territories of Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut.