"Very surprised": Lottery winner nets a massive $2.5M on a $3 ticket
A lottery winner in Alberta struck it big on just a $3 lotto ticket, netting a wicked $2.5 million earlier this month.
Naresh Avala of Calgary told the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) that he tried to buy a Lotto 6/49 ticket for every draw, and was shocked when he noticed his numbers for the September 2 draw were a match.
Avala split a $5 million classic jackpot with another ticket purchased somewhere in Quebec.
“My family and I, we were all very surprised,” he explained at his prize claim interview with the WCLC. “And grateful and excited, very excited!”
As for what he plans to do with his newfound windfall, one big purchase comes to mind.
“I’m going to buy a home for my family,” he said. “Whatever is left over will be put into savings for the future.”
Avala picked up his $3 Lotto 6/49 ticket from the Thornecliff Shell at 5623 4th Street NW in Calgary. The winning numbers for the September 2 Lotto 6/49 draw were: 12, 13, 30, 33, 35, and 43.
The WCLC says Avala wasn’t the only Albertan to take home a major prize on the September 2 draw; a ticket purchased somewhere in the province won $175,646.70 by matching five of the six Classic draw numbers, plus bonus number (17).
Five other tickets purchased in Alberta (one in Calgary, one in Edmonton, and three outside Calgary and Edmonton) took home $50,000 each after winning on the September super draw.