Last month, Stuart Melvin’s errand run ended with more than just groceries – he just didn’t know it yet.
An ordinary grocery trip ended with the Saint John, N.B., man deciding to buy some lottery tickets at Shawn’s Variety in a roll of the dice.
When he returned a week later, the cashier scanned what would end up being life-altering tickets.
“I thought I had won $2 … and never thought more about it,” Melvin said in an Atlantic Lottery news release Friday.
“I was just looking at the regular numbers, Atlantic 49 and 6/49. I didn’t think to check the other number on the ticket.”
That other number resulted in a $1 million win of the Gold Ball from the July 27 Lotto 6/49 draw.
“It doesn’t feel real at all,” Melvin said.
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He first shared the news of his big win with his sister, who was in such disbelief she thought he was joking.
Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday with two multi-million jackpots available to be won. The classic jackpot is always set at $5 million, and the Gold Ball jackpot starts at $10 million but can grow past $60 million.
The Gold Ball draw guarantees a winning ticket on every draw, with the winner taking home $1 million if a white ball is drawn, or the growing Gold Ball jackpot when a gold ball is drawn. A white ball was drawn on July 27, leading to Melvin’s $1-million win.
He said he plans to eventually purchase a new home with his prize money, adding much of what is left will be going to charity.
In the meantime, Melvin said he’s “just going to sit back now and relax a little while.”