August 2026 · Thunder Bay 50/50
The Dog Days of Summer
This August, every ticket does double duty. Play for $175,000 in Early Bird prizes, (OPTIONAL) add $2 for animals in need at checkout, and see your best friend featured all month long.
What's happening this month
Four reasons to play in August
Give $2 for animals
Add an optional $2 donation at checkout for the Ontario SPCA Northwest Animal Centre.
Read more →$175,000 in Early Birds
25 Early Bird draws this month, including a $50,000 day and a pair of $25,000 winners.
See the calendar →Featured supporter dogs
We're featuring dogs from our supporters all month, here and on social.
Send us yours →Subscribe for Rewards+
Subscribers earn an extra $1,000 on top of any Early Bird prize they win.
How it works →01 · New this month
Add $2 for animals in need
Thunder Bay 50/50 supporters now have a new way to help. When you buy a ticket for the August draw, you can choose to add an optional $2 donation in support of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Northwest Animal Centre.
How the $2 donation works
It is a voluntary add-on at checkout, and it is entirely separate from the lottery itself. Ticket prices, odds, and the jackpot are unchanged. One hundred per cent of every donation goes directly to the Northwest Animal Centre.
That money funds shelter, veterinary care, and adoption services for animals across Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. The donation option builds on a partnership that began last year, when the Thunder Bay 50/50 featured adoptable animals from the Northwest Animal Centre to help connect them with their forever homes.
Why now
The launch comes at a critical time. As wildfires continue to affect communities across Northwestern Ontario, the Northwest Animal Centre has been providing emergency boarding for pets displaced by evacuations, distributing emergency pet food through hubs in Thunder Bay and Dryden, and delivering veterinary care to evacuated animals.
The wildfires have displaced families as well as animals, and the two are deeply connected. Many evacuees cannot bring pets into temporary accommodations, and emergency boarding means one less worry during an already difficult time. Our thoughts are with everyone affected across Northwestern Ontario — the families, communities, first responders, and host organizations navigating this wildfire season together.
“The Thunder Bay 50/50 exists because people in this region show up for one another. Our supporters already strengthen local healthcare every time they buy a ticket. Now, with two dollars and one click, they can help vulnerable animals at the same time — and right now, that help has never been needed more.”
Torin Gunnell — Director, Charitable Gaming, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
You don't need a ticket to help
Supporting animals in need doesn't require a Thunder Bay 50/50 purchase. You can donate to the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Northwest Animal Centre directly, any time, at ontariospca.ca/northwest.
02 · Early Bird prizes
$175,000 before the Grand Prize
Buy early and you're in for every draw that follows. August runs 25 Early Bird draws before the Grand Prize, and the calendar is front-loaded — the first week alone puts $92,500 on the table.
Highlights: 2 × $25,000 on Saturday, August 8, and a $50,000 Early Bird on Wednesday, August 26, two days before the Grand Prize draw.
Buy by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 27 to be eligible for the Grand Prize draw on Friday, August 28.
August 2026 prize calendar — every Early Bird date at a glance.
03 · Good dogs, all month
Your dog, on our calendar
All month long we're featuring dogs sent in by Thunder Bay 50/50 supporters — on this website, on our prize calendar, and across our social channels. Charlie, Luna, Tiki, Fiddich, Mukwa, Spark and friends are already up. Yours could be next.
Pick your best shot
A clear, well-lit photo of your dog works best. Landscape or square crops sit nicely in the calendar squares.
Watch for them
Featured pets appear across our August creative and social posts. We share as many as we can fit.
04 · Rewards+
Remember to subscribe
Subscribe to the Thunder Bay 50/50 and you're automatically enrolled in Rewards+. Win any Early Bird draw while your subscription is active and you receive an extra $1,000 on top of your prize. With 25 Early Bird draws in August, that's 25 chances for the bonus.
Your tickets renew automatically each month and arrive between 2:00–5:00 p.m. on the first day of every new draw — so you never miss a Dog Days deadline.
Common questions
Dog Days FAQ
Does the $2 donation change my odds?
No. The donation is completely separate from the lottery. Ticket prices, odds, and the jackpot are exactly the same whether you add it or not.
Where does the $2 go?
One hundred per cent goes to the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Northwest Animal Centre, funding shelter, veterinary care, and adoption services across Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.
Can I donate without buying a ticket?
Absolutely. Donate any time directly at ontariospca.ca/northwest.
Where does the 50/50 money go?
Net proceeds support the highest-priority equipment needs of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and clinical centres across Northwestern Ontario. More than $106 million has been awarded to winners since the draw launched.
Tickets are on sale now. Play for $175,000 in Early Birds, and add $2 for animals in need at checkout.
2025–2026 Lottery Licence #RAF1500864. Odds of winning depend on the total number of tickets sold. Must be 18 years of age or older and physically located in Ontario to purchase. The $2 donation to the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Northwest Animal Centre is voluntary, is not a lottery entry, and does not affect ticket price, odds, or prize value. Problem gambling helpline: ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600. Please play responsibly — set a limit and stick to it. Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
