Loto-Quebec pulls 'Heat Record' scratch cards off the market due to backlash

Loto-Quebec's Heat Record (Record de Chaleur) scratch cards were pulled from the market due to backlash. SOURCE: Loto-Quebec

MONTREAL -

Loto-Quebec has pulled its Heat Record (Record de Chaleur) scratch tickets off the market the day after they were launched.

The scratch tickets drew backlash as heat waves cause temperatures to spike across the country and have resulted in multiple deaths.

"The hotter it gets, the bigger the prize," read the tickets.

As of Sunday, more than 300 wildfires were burning in BC, and authorities have reported more than 700 deaths during the heat dome.

More heat warnings have been issued this week in BC.

"The Heat Record concept was developed several months ago in the fall of 2020. The idea behind this product was simply to give a nod to summer. Quebecers generally want a nice and warm summer for their vacations," said spokesperson Renaud Dugas.

Loto-Québec vient de prendre la décision de retirer le billet «Record de chaleur».
«Nous comprenons la sensibilité entourant ce billet, même si ce n’était pas dans cet esprit qu’il avait été conçu», indique la société d’État au @LeDevoir pic.twitter.com/vX11zq6aB4

— Améli Pineda (@AmeliPineda) July 13, 2021

The $2 tickets paid out winnings based on temperatures. The hotter the day, the bigger the prize. There were seven suns for players to scratch and some would pay out $1,000 per degree on certain days. If it was 30 degrees Celsius, the prize would be $30,000.

Dugas said Loto-Quebec launches around 50 one-off tickets per year, and the Heat Wave game was one of them.

"We understand the sensitivity, even if this was not at all the spirit in which the ticket was conceived," he said. "In this context, Loto-Quebec made the decision to withdraw the ticket from the market."