An Olds man says he is officially retiring after winning $1 million on the WESTERN MAX Sept. 17 draw.
The man said he originally won a Free Play on a WESTERN MAX ticket months ago… and when he recently cashed in for his free ticket, it won big.
“I scanned it and thought, ‘There’s no decimal!’” he said in a news release from Western Canada Lottery Corporation. “I kept looking for the decimal place and gradually realized it was actually a million.”
He took the ticket home to show his wife right away. “She thought I was joking. She had the biggest smile when she realized we can both semi-retire and give our bodies a break.
“Her birthday is next week and I’m going to surprise her with a little something,” he added.
The lucky winner said the $1 million win feels like it has come at the best time.
“It’s very relieving,” he said. “It’s a lot of money. Life-changing in a way that allows us to walk into the next chapter.”
The man and his wife aren’t walking into the next chapter alone either. The pair share a property with several furred and feathered friends.
“We have a lot of animals,” he said. “We likely won’t be travelling much, but maybe we can get a babysitter for them now.”
The winning WESTERN MAX ticket was purchased at Circle K at 5622 46th St. in Olds. He won on one of the $1 million additional prize draws on the WESTERN MAX draw by correctly matching the selection: 1, 3, 31, 34, 40, 42 and 49.