• by Danielle Oster , July 15, 2024

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has a message for residents of the Canadian province: Team Canada is “Sponsored By You.”

OLG has just announced its new status as an official sponsor of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“This new partnership is showcasing one of the many ways OLG’s support makes a difference to people and communities across the province,” Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, said in a statement.

A 30-second “Sponsored By You” hero ad focuses on a man buying a lottery ticket and daydreaming about being name-checked as a sponsor by a series of star Team Canada athletes: gold medal-winning runner Andre De Grasse; seven-time medalist swimmer Penny Oleksiak; swimmer and reigning Olympic champion in the 100m butterfly, Maggie Mac Neil; and Olympic hammer throw veteran Jillian Weir. The campaign launched today and will run through Aug. 11 across TV, social media, digital, and OOH.

In addition to Olympic stars,”Sponsored By You” also highlights other Ontario athletes and Para athletes who have received funding from Ontario’s “Quest for Gold” program. The program -- launched by OLG in partnership with the Ontario government in 2006 -- provides financial assistance to amateur athletes to help offsets the costs of training and living expenses. The program has supported thousands of amateur athletes since its inception, and 90% of Ontario medalists in the past four Olympic cycles have been “Quest for Gold” recipients.

“Many people don't realize 100 per cent of OLG's profits are reinvested into Ontario, and that we have a longstanding history of supporting amateur athletes,” OLG brand and marketing officer Maxine Chapman said in a statement. “OLG’s ability to give back to communities is only possible thanks to our players, so we wanted to use this opportunity to recognize and celebrate them.”

To bring campaign messaging  to life, the effort includes a traveling “Sponsored by You” Portrait Studio event marketing studio. Running across various Ontario communities this summer, the activation gives participants the change to have a personalized portrait photo taken showing their support for Ontario amateur athletes, as well as the chance to win a series of prizes. Additionally, a promotional sweepstakes is giving Canadians who buy a lottery ticket online at OLG.ca between July 15 and August 12, 2024 and enter the comets a chance win a trip to watch Team Canada at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.