EDMONTON – Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba ended 2013 on a lotto hot streak – with 11 people from the prairies winning a million dollars or more in just 11 days.
“This is unique. It’s really interesting and it’s really fun that it all happened at the end of the year,” said Andrea Marantz, spokesperson for the Western Canadian Lottery Corporation.
Altogether, the 11 winning tickets are worth more than $74 million.
A large portion of that is made up of tickets purchased in Edmonton – specifically a Lotto Max ticket bought in the City of Champions. It became worth $50 million on Dec. 21. There was also a string of million-dollar jackpots in the city and across the province.
A week later in Calgary, a ticket purchased there was one of two containing the winning numbers for a nearly $16.4 million jackpot.
Half that prize went to Dennis Nash of Winnipeg, who received his cheque for $8,191,994.60 on New Year’s Eve.
So far, he’s the only one of 11 to claim his winnings – which means 2014 could be a very lucky one for someone who doesn’t know it yet.
READ MORE: Winnipeg man wins $8 million in Lotto 649
Nash hasn’t made any big plans for this new fortune yet, but said he’d like to pay off some bills and take a trip somewhere warm. He also plans on helping out some close family and friends.
That’s similar to what Edmonton’s Gilles Poirier and Tammy Jones would do if they won. Unfortunately, they only walked away with a $22 prize and a free play when they tried their luck on Friday.
But that’s not stopping them from holding out hope.
“I go back and forth to Ottawa and when I’m in Ottawa I don’t buy (there),” Jones said. “I only buy here…because it’s a lucky province.”
When playing Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max and Western Max, winners have one year from the draw date to claim their prizes. Those who have those elusive lucky numbers should call 1-800-665-3313.
With files from Quinn Ohler, Global News and The Canadian Press
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