Stopping for gas pays off for Okanagan resident with $500K lottery win

An Okanagan woman says she feels blessed after buying what proved to be a lucky lottery ticket while filling up for gas.

Carrol Spear of Kelowna won $500,000 on the Jan. 9 Lotto Max draw, with her ticket matching the four numbers for the Extra draw: 13, 44, 64 and 84.

Spear purchased the winning ticket at the Canco gas station on Ethel Street and Clement Avenue in Kelowna.

“I was at Canco, the same location where I purchased the ticket,” Spear said of getting her ticket checked.

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“The girl checked the ticket and all of a sudden four girls huddled around the machine. One had a big smile on her face and said, ‘You’ve won big!’ I was in disbelief!”

Spear then says she phoned her boyfriend while driving home.

“I was calling his name and he said, ‘What? It better be that you’ve won the lotto!’ I said, ‘Yes, I’ve won half a million!’ and my boyfriend turned around and started crying.”

With her windfall, Spear says she plans to help her sons and save for retirement.

“I’m retiring soon,” she said. “Now since I’ve won this prize, maybe I’ll retire within a year.

“I feel so blessed. It’ll pave the road and make things smoother for my future.”

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Spear is the latest big B.C. winner.

Rudy Paquette of Moberly Lake, which is west of Dawson Creek, recently won $500,000, while David Elliott of Denman Island also won $500,000 on the Daily Grand draw.

Also, Francisc Menyhart of Port Coquitlam won $1 million from a Lotty 6.49 draw, as did Richard Akins of Powell River.

And in mid-December 2023, Jesse Tanner of Kelowna won $100,000 with a scratch-and-win ticket he received as a birthday present.