Shocked Lotto Max winners claim their halves of $70-million jackpot
Two Canadian Lotto Max players barely had a week to process the news after matching the winning numbers to a massive jackpot.
Jacques Deschamps, a 60-something entrepreneur living in Montérégie, Que., and Wilhelmina Van Leeuwen, a retiree from Montréal, are still shocked after discovering that they each won half of a $70-million Lotto Max jackpot.
Seeing that the jackpot had reached $70 million, Deschamps bought a Lotto Max ticket at the Chanteclerc convenience store at 290 Rue Jacques-Cartier in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.
The Saturday morning after the draw, he said he was settling in with his coffee and checking his tickets like he often does. After scanning one ticket, he saw that he had won $3,500. Then he realized he was mistaken and thought he had seen the prize amount at $35,000.
Intrigued, he then asked his spouse to check the ticket.
Loto-Québec
After scanning the ticket herself, she was stunned and uttered the life-changing news, “You won $35 million!”
He had won half of the $70-million Lotto Max jackpot during the Friday, July 11 draw.
Deschamps immediately sent a photo of his winning ticket to his son. Impatient, he even called his daughter-in-law to wake his son so they could share the news.
In Montréal, a similar story unfolded on the Tuesday after the draw.
Van Leeuwen was validating her Lotto Max tickets at a retailer when she found out that she had won. The retailer didn’t immediately tell her how much she won, but said, “You’ll be happy!”
She was the winner of the other half of the Lotto Max jackpot and was now $35 million richer. The very next morning, Van Leeuwen found herself alongside Deschamps at the Loto–Québec head office to claim her prize.
Loto-Québec
Deschamps said he already has plans for his windfall: he wants to spoil his family and continue to explore the world. He also wants to buy a condo in Montréal.
Van Leeuwen said she wants to treat herself to a few trips, and she’ll be flying first class. She purchased her ticket at the Dépanneur du Village, located at 1273 Sainte-Catherine Street East in Montreal.
Each retailer will receive a one per cent commission of $350,000.
Loto-Québec
“This is the second time in a matter of weeks that the Lotto Max jackpot has been won in Québec,” said Isabelle Jean, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Lottery Games at Loto-Québec. “At the beginning of June, 15 Trois-Rivières co-workers split a $20-million jackpot, and this time, a $70-million jackpot was won with two selections sold here, including Mr. Deschamps’.”
The co-workers at a car dealership in Trois-Rivières, Que., each received a cheque worth $1,333,333.
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.