Canadian truck driver loves his job too much to quit after huge lottery win

For many lottery players, winning big is the ultimate dream — the chance to quit their jobs and pursue other interests. But for some, walking away from work isn’t part of that plan.

Gérald Côté is a lottery player who lives in Montreal, Que. Côté, who works as a truck driver, said he enjoys playing scratch tickets.

One day, while at a Provigo, he decided to try his luck by buying a 30X scratch ticket, which costs $30 per play. After playing his ticket, he headed back to the same grocery store to see if he won anything.

Loto-Quebec

When he scanned his ticket on the self-serve terminal, he said he started seeing several numbers — first three, then 30, and then 300. He recalled thinking to himself, “There are too many zeroes!”

In disbelief, Côté headed over to the counter to ask the cashier to validate his ticket. That’s when he saw his full prize amount and was stunned to realize that he was now $3 million richer. He said that the entire store was ecstatic that he had won.

While at the Loto-Quebec headquarters to claim his windfall, Côté shared his plans after his big win.

A fan of vintage cars, he said he’ll start working on a car restoration project and plans to buy a ’60s Corvette. And while most multimillion-dollar lottery winners would quit their jobs or retire early, Côté doesn’t plan to retire right away, stating that he loves driving for work.

Loto-Quebec

The winning ticket was purchased at Provigo, located at Place du Commerce in Île-des-Sœurs, Montréal. The retailer will receive a one per cent commission of $30,000.

All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, check out these resources.