Latest news with #BCLottery
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
B.C. man to plan dream Alaska fishing trip after $1M lottery win
Mackenzie resident Sim Chua will embark on his dream fishing trip to Alaska after winning $1 Million from Lotto 6/49. When B.C. man Sim Chua first found out he was going to be $1 million richer, he had only one thing on his mind – the picturesque rivers of Alaska and their abundant salmon and trout populations. The Mackenzie resident and avid fisherman had checked his winning ticket at the lotto kiosk inside the Mackenzie Mall on Mackenzie Boulevard, the same place he had bought it from prior to the May 14 Lotto 6/49 draw. 'I passed it to the retailer,' recalled Chua when detailing his win to the B.C. Lottery Corporation. 'Before scanning, she was telling me about how someone won $1 million in Mackenzie. Then she scanned the ticket and then said, 'Hey, it's you!'' Chua said he was most excited to share the news with his sister, whose ear-splitting response was one of pure surprise. 'She was just screaming so much on the phone. She couldn't believe it!' Still coming to terms with news of the life-changing win, Chua says the knowledge that he is now a millionaire still hasn't quite sunk in. 'I don't know what to do with myself,' he said. 'It's still unreal to me.' One thing he does know for certain is how the cash will be spent. Chua plans to use some of his winnings to purchase a new car, and to visit his ultimate vacation destination of Alaska. The 'dream trip' will involve plenty of fly fishing, he said. The odds of winning the main Lotto 6/49 jackpot – which requires matching all six numbers drawn without using the bonus number – are approximately one in 14 million, according to the BCLC. The odds of winning a guaranteed prize of $1 million or more in the Gold Ball Draw depend on the number of tickets sold.
CTV News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
$80-million lottery winner vows to help family, community
Lottery winner Justin Simporios is seen in this image handed out by the B.C. Lottery Corporation. The winner of the largest lottery jackpot in B.C. history was revealed on Thursday, and he says he wants to use the windfall to help others. Surrey resident Justin Simporios matched all seven numbers on the May 9 Lotto Max draw, netting the record prize. He told the B.C. Lottery Corporation that when he found out the $80-million ticket was purchased in Surrey, he joked to his wife that 'we're millionaires.' 'She told me to stop making that joke. After, I manually checked each number before scanning (the app). I cried and shouted, 'We're millionaires!'' Simporios recounted in a BCLC media release. Simporios said he's most excited to share the winnings with his family. 'I'll pay off my sister's medical school debt and help my mom retire early, just giving my family a head start in life,' he said. The now-multi-millionaire also vowed to give back to his community. 'I've struggled before and needed help. Even if I can give an ounce of happiness, I want to help where I can. This feels like a dream,' he told the BCLC. As for himself, Simporios, an LA Lakers fan, said he wants to see LeBron James play in-person before the star retires and visit family in the Philippines. Asked how it feels to be set for life, he said, 'the biggest change will be having more time with my wife and family. We want to live with a purpose, to help the community around us.' Simporios purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart in Central City mall. The odds of winning a Lotto Max jackpot are one in 33,294,800.
