A midtown bakery gave its customers a chance to win US$1.5 billion in the largest jackpot in U.S. history.
Customers who spent C$20 or more were given a US$2 ticket for the U.S. Powerball lottery.
The tickets were being gifted to customers at World Class Bakers, located at 690 St. Clair Avenue West, east of Bathurst Street.
The bakery said in a statement that owners were giving away 500 tickets to Wednesday's Powerball draw, which boasts a jackpot of more than $2 billion, or US$1.5 billion.
"We are giving one to each of our customers as a thank you for their business with every $20 purchase," the bakery said.
The business was cleared out of tickets by approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Non-U.S. citizens are legally allowed to purchase the tickets, and may actually be able to pocket more money than those living in the U.S. due to tax laws, an American lottery expert told CTV's Canada AM on Monday.
The giveaway had customers lining up at the bakery, CTV Toronto's John Musselman reported. At one point, there were at least 60 people in line at the shop.
The bakery's manager said she plans to drive Buffalo again tonight to purchase more tickets, since the promotion has been so successful.
Manager Suzanne King said the bakery did a similar promotion in 2002 when the Powerball jackpot was US$220 million. The bakery had purchased 1,500 tickets that time, but didn't give them all away.
The bakery is open Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will open early Wednesday because of the demand for tickets.
With a report from CTV Toronto's John Musselman
