New kid on the block

NEW GLASGOW - A familiar face that people have been spending their Friday nights with for the past 15 years says goodbye tonight.
That's when a Lotto Super 7 jackpot of $21 million marks the end of lottery era in Canada. Starting Saturday the newest national game in town is Lotto Max.
Sales have been brisk for the final Super 7. Not only is the jackpot a big one, but the money is guaranteed to go.
Al Sutherland of Big Al's Convenience Store and Trophies said there appears to be a buzz around the finale.
"It's been going pretty well all day with Super 7 tickets. People are talking about it, some people seem to be aware of the new game. There's some positive and some negative talk, but you always get that, especially if the price per ticket is bigger."
A base Super 7 ticket costs $2 while a base Lotto Max ticket will cost $5. For that extra cash ticket buyers have a shot at a jackpot that's guaranteed to be at least $10 million per draw.
Tonight's Super 7 jackpot is going to go, even if there isn't a ticket with all seven correct numbers. It would then go to the ticket holder with six of seven plus the bonus number and so on.
Sutherland likes the way Super 7 is going out.
"I think it is a great idea. There's probably a lot of people that are starting to talk about all the draws. I don't know whether the ticket sales would be as robust without it."
Marg Dooley of Lottoland in the Highland Square Mall has seen more interest in the last Super 7 draw too.
"They are buying more. It's the end of a draw that's been in place for a while. People in the area like Super 7."
She said she's hearing mixed remarks from her customers as well.
"Some people don't like change."
That change came about because lottery corporations across Canada were listening to the buying public, said Paula Dyke, director of public affairs for Atlantic Lottery Corporation in Moncton.
"We heard two distinct things. Players are saying they want big jackpots 'worth playing' and they're saying 'If you have a $20 million jackpot, why not have 20 - $1 million prizes?' This combines both elements."
Dyke said ALC was looking to make sure it has "the right new games that will serve the public well."
The game is a collaborative effort among the five lottery corporations across Canada, Dyke said.
"It starts with the marketing folks. They use research and focus groups…They tweak and refine in response to what they are hearing from the public."
With the new game drawing near Dyke said the ALC office has been hearing from the public.
"We've had some questions and interest on what the new game will look like. We've had some questions on process and prizes on the last Super 7."
Any questions the retailers had were dealt with along the way.
"There was training on the game prior to launching it," Sutherland said. "The game itself is somewhat similar to Super 7. The dynamics are quite similar."
It's the end of an era for one game and the start of another but there's nothing special planned for the lucky winners to mark the occasion.
"It will be a rich moment they can take away, something they're comfortable with. There's nothing that I can share at this point…We're really excited to see some winners from the new game and winners for the end of Super 7 as well."