Canadian parents secretly add their kids to lottery pool and win $5 million
Winning the lottery is rare enough, but imagine discovering that you’d been secretly entered in a draw that led to a massive prize.
Lottery players Jean-Guy Lavoie and Marie-Christine Jean are a married couple who live in CĂŽte-Nord, Que. For over 30 years, they’ve been part of a group made up of friends and relatives who have been playing the lottery together, always choosing the same set of numbers.
One day, Lavoie purchased the group’s usual Lotto 6/49 ticket at a convenience store in Baie-Comeau. His wife was watching the draw on TV when she realized that the numbers looked familiar.
“It looks like our numbers!” she said before urging Lavoie to put on his glasses.
Irish Mae Silvestre/Daily Hive
The couple then checked the ticket using the Loto-Québec app and were surprised to learn that they had won the $5-million Lotto 6/49 prize in the Dec. 3 draw. They started calling the 19 group members from CÎte-Nord, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Mauricie, and Montérégie to share the happy news.
But the most surprising twist was the fact that Lavoie and Jean had been adding their kids, Cindy Berger and Pascal Lavoie, to the lottery pool without their knowledge. The siblings were shocked to learn that they now had a share in the $5-million jackpot.
Split among 19 people, they each received a share worth $263,157.
Loto-Quebec
Loto-Quebec
The winners shared different plans with their winnings, with some stating that they plan to use the money for renovations, buy new vehicles, or put it towards investments. Some also said they were looking forward to spending the holidays with family.
“Iâm happier sharing the prize with the group than I wouldâve been had I won it alone,â said Jean-Guy Lavoie.
Among the other winners are André Arsenault, Raymond Carrier, Martine Jean, Gaétan Arseneault, Josée Beauregard, Steeve Boudreau, Marianne Charette, Real Chicoine, France Dallaire, Jacques Desbiens, Alain Lejeune, Francine Levesque, Josée Lévesque, and Yves Dumont.
The winning ticket was purchased at the Couche-Tard convenience store at 193 Boulevard Lasalle in Baie-Comeau. The retailer will receive a one per cent commission of $50,000.
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.