Canada’s Largest Ever Online Sports Prize Pool

$1 Million Super Pool Up for Grabs this Super Bowl on PlayNow.com

Now, for the first time ever, bettors in Manitoba can test their Super Bowl know-how for a chance to win or share the $1 Million Super Pool on PlayNow.com. This is the largest potential online sports grand prize of its kind ever offered in Canada. 

To win the $1 Million Super Pool, players have to correctly pick all 25 Super Bowl related outcomes on their $5 pool card. The outcomes range from prop bets such as the result of the coin toss, whether an interception will be thrown, to more traditional bets like the total points scored in the game and the winner of Super Bowl Ll. In the event no one selects all 25 outcomes correctly, players with the most correct picks will win or share a jackpot generated by pool sales. Since the pool was announced last week, interest on PlayNow.com has spiked.

In addition to the pool, bettors on PlayNow.com can also wager on more than 300 prop and novelty bets related to the showdown this Sunday between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. The Patriots are currently the favourites to win the Vince Lombardi trophy while the Falcons are the Super Bowl underdogs. Quirky novelty bets include what colour of Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach and whether Lady Gaga will mention Donald Trump.

The Super Bowl is the single biggest sports betting event in North America. Approximately $14.6 million was wagered on the NFL on PlayNow.com during the 2015-16 season.

PlayNow.com is Manitoba’s only legal, regulated gambling website operated by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries. For more information on the $1 Million Super Pool and Super Bowl odds, visit PlayNow.com. 

-30-

To arrange an interview contact:

Patrick Delaney | Communications Officer
204.957.2500 ext. 2379 | Patrick.Delaney@mbll.ca

Liquor Mart 2016 Winter Holiday Hours

Manitoba Liquor Marts will operate on holiday hours starting Friday, December 9 until Sunday, January 1, as follows:

Friday, December 9 through Thursday, December 15:

• On Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10, most Liquor Mart locations in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 8:00 am and close at midnight.
• On Sunday, December 11, all Winnipeg and Brandon Liquor Marts will open at 9:00 am and close at 6:00 pm.
• Monday, December 12 through Thursday, December 15, most Liquor Mart locations in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 8:00 am and close at 11:00 pm.

Friday, December 16 through Friday, December 23:

• Most Liquor Mart locations in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 8:00 am and close at midnight, except Sunday.
• On Sunday, December 18, all Winnipeg and Brandon Liquor Marts will open at 9:00 am and close at 6:00 pm.

Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24: 

• All Winnipeg and Brandon Liquor Marts will open at 8:00 am and close at 6:00 pm.

Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25: 

• All Manitoba Liquor Marts will be closed.

Boxing Day, Monday, December 26: 

• All Manitoba Liquor Marts will open at 10:00 am and close at 6:00 pm.

Tuesday, December 27 through Friday, December 30:

• Most Liquor Mart locations in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 8:00 am and close at 11:00 pm.

New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31: 

• Liquor Marts in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 8:00 am and close at 7:00 pm, except for Brandon West Express and Pembina Village Express locations, which close at 6:00 pm.

New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1:

• All Manitoba Liquor Marts will be closed.

Regular hours of operation resume Monday, January 2, 2017 at all Manitoba Liquor Marts.

Rural Liquor Marts also operate on extended hours in their communities throughout the holiday season; however, hours vary by location. To view each store’s hours of operation, and any exceptions to the hours noted above, please visit us online at www.LiquorMarts.ca/hours.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries’ corporate offices will be closed December 26-27 and January 2.

Public Notice: Airport Liquor Mart Express to Close

The Liquor Mart Express located in the Arrivals level of the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport will close permanently at the end of business day on Monday, October 31, 2016. The closure coincides with the expiry of our current lease with the Winnipeg Airports Authority.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is proud to have been one of the original tenants when the new terminal first opened and to have served as ambassadors for our city.

There are several nearby Liquor Mart and Liquor Mart Express locations just a few minutes away from the airport:

• Download a list of nearby Liquor Mart locations: Liquor Marts near the Winnipeg Airport (.pdf)
• Visit LiquorMarts.ca to search for other Liquor Marts near you: www.liquormarts.ca/liquormarts

Thank you for your patronage.

Liquor Mart Remembrance Day Hours

Thursday, November 10:

Most Manitoba Liquor Marts will be open later.

Friday, November 11:

All Manitoba Liquor Marts will open at 1:00 p.m. until regular closing hours on Remembrance Day, Friday November 11. Exceptions include cityplace which will be closed all day, and Brandon West End Express, which will close one hour early at 9:00 p.m.

To view each store’s full operating hours, please visit www.LiquorMarts.ca/hours.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries offices will be closed on Remembrance Day, Friday, November 11.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) to Cancel Unnecessary Downtown Relocation

Project outside the mandate of MBLL and at risk of significant cost overruns: Craik

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries today reported the findings of a review conducted by the corporation’s new board of directors at the request of the Government of Manitoba. The review looked into procurement and tendering processes related to the proposed head office development, with the goal of ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This resulted in a specific analysis of the corporation’s September 2015 purchase of 233 Kennedy Street (the Medical Arts Building) and decision to renovate the building and utilize it as the location for its amalgamated corporate head offices.

“Our board’s review has resulted in a decision that the corporation will utilize existing office space for its corporate employees and will not be proceeding with previous plans to construct a new $75 million headquarters,” said board chair Polly Craik. “Our review concluded that the corporation’s existing office space is sufficient to meet the ongoing needs of staff. We could not support spending a minimum of $75 million of public funds for a project that would see Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries operating as a commercial property developer, well outside of its core mandate.”

The decision not to proceed with the $75-million head office project follows a comprehensive review by the organization’s board of directors. The review concluded that:

• There is no operational need to develop a new building for corporate employees. Existing office space is sufficient to meet the needs of corporate staff.
• Construction projects of the size of the proposed new headquarters, particularly those associated with the renovation and development of an older building, face significant risks of cost escalation. The board concluded that these cost uncertainties could put additional public dollars unnecessarily at risk.
• The original project would have required Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries to take on the roles of commercial property developer and property and asset management. These roles are outside the mandate of supporting the province through liquor sales and gaming operations.

“Our review concluded that any possible net savings from this project are negated by the risks of construction cost over-runs associated with renovating and developing an aged building,” said Craik. “Manitobans expect us to make prudent financial decisions that are in the public’s best interest and that is what we plan to do.”

-30-

For interviews with Polly Craik, Board Chair, and Jim Morden, Board member:

Liquor Mart Labour Day Weekend Hours

Manitoba Liquor Marts will operate on extended hours during the Labour Day long weekend.

Thursday, September 1, 2016: Liquor Marts in Winnipeg and Brandon will open and close at their regular times. Many of the larger Winnipeg Liquor Marts will remain open later and close at 11:00 p.m. Store hours can be viewed online at www.LiquorMarts.ca/hours.

Friday, September 2, 2016: Most Liquor Marts in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 11:00 p.m. with the exception of cityplace, Hargrave & Ellice, Main & Pritchard, Airport Express and Brandon Express, which will each close at their regular time.

Saturday, September 3, 2016: Most Liquor Marts in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 11:00 p.m. with the exception of cityplace, Hargrave & Ellice, Main & Pritchard, Airport Express and Brandon Express, which will each close at their regular time.

Sunday, September 4, 2016: All Liquor Marts in Winnipeg and Brandon will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m., with the exception of cityplace, which will open at noon and close at 5:00 p.m. 

Labour Day, Monday, September 5, 2016: All Manitoba Liquor Marts will be closed. 

Operating hours for rural Liquor Marts vary by location. To view each store’s full operating hours, please visit www.LiquorMarts.ca/hours.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries offices will be closed on Labour Day, Monday, September 5.

-30-