A dream turned into reality: Surrey woman wins a major jackpot on slot machine

Just before wrapping up her night at a Surrey casino, she ended up winning a life-changing prize — a $1,157,664.03 jackpot!

Shelley Araki was playing at the Elements Casino Surrey when she decided to take a few spins on a Powerbucks™ slot machine before she left for the evening.

She initially believed she won $100, which she was happy about.

But then the number just kept climbing.

“I looked up and saw it had hit the jackpot,” Araki said. “I didn’t believe it at first. I kept thinking, ‘Really? Is this happening to me?'”

Araki told the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) that she had a dream she would win the lottery, so to have that dream turn into a reality, “It’s a dream come true,” she said.

“It’s life-changing. I’ve worked hard my whole life and now I don’t have to worry.”

The Surrey resident is just two years away from retirement so her win comes at the perfect time as she plans to spend it by being around her family more and putting funds toward her grandchildren’s future.

The odds of winning the Powerbucks™ jackpot on a $3 wager is about one in 25 million, according to BCLC.