Conceived by Ontario's Progressive Conservative Government, Wintario came from an idea that it could raise money for worthwhile community recreational projects from which the province could benefit.
The first draw was held from the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto on May 15, 1975 and broadcast on television with Fred Davis and Charlie Farquharson, Don Harron's alter ego.
It was decided that Wintario draw its winning numbers in communities that the Ministries of Tourism and Recreation and Citizenship and Culture helped through lottery funds.
The next nine Wintario draws were not televised, but took place in communities such as Plantagenet, Wallaceburg, Bracebridge, Oakville and St. Catharines, to name a few.
Marie, the draw began broadcasting on the Global Television Network, hosted initially by Fred Davis and Faye Dance.
The Ontario Lottery Corporation had so many requests from towns to host the draw show that many waited for an arena to be built so that Wintario could visit.
Draws were held in high schools, theatres, arenas, community centres, and odd places.
Wintario during summer months did draws from outdoor sites in Niagara Falls, Kingston, and Barrie.
Both Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition and Ottawa's SuperEX were lucky to have hosted Wintario annually to launch their respective summer fairs.
Each host community was given a commemorative "Wintario" plaque as a thank-you gift from the Ontario Lottery Corporation.
Wintario Grants funded nearly every Ontario recreation centre, arena, theatre, art gallery, museum, or local non-profit group.
On June 3, 1982, Wintario introduced a new format which featured a unique scramble draw in which lottery players could match six numbers in any order at all and win $50.
The Mystery Bonus Wheel was also new and at first featured merchandise prizes like dishwashers, televisions, Coleman camping gear, flatware, a boat, $500 cash, and a car.
People in the audience were selected to press the button that activated each draw from the Ryo-Catteau lottery machines mixing on stage.
One memorable button presser was a man named Bob Thorton, who wished his parents in Huntsville good luck during the $100,000 draw.
In March 1983 from Cloyne, a 13-year-old girl in the audience named Paula Salmond won $100,000 at the live draw.
It is estimated the lottery and Global Television crews had logged a distance equivalent to nine and a half times around the world just in Ontario.
A Wintario Extra game was introduced after the last draw in 1990, and a new lottery show debuted on TV Ontario, hosted by Sandy Stahlbrand and Kevin Lund.