WATCH ABOVE: A Lamont man has become Alberta’s newest multi-millionaire after winning the Jan. 16 $50 million Lotto Max draw.
EDMONTON — Alberta’s newest multi-millionaire says his weekly lottery numbers came to him in a flash six years ago. And ever since then he knew he was going to win big.
“This sounds fabricated, it sounds hokey, but it’s the honest to God truth: I had these numbers flash in my head,” said Randall Rush.
“I wrote them down and (my friend) goes, ‘Man those look like good lottery numbers’ and I said, ‘I don’t play the lottery.’ And he goes, ‘But if you did play and those numbers came up how would you feel?'”
The answer to that question?
“It’s a game changer,” said Rush.
The 48-year-old Lamont man played those same numbers every week for six years. It finally paid off for him when he won the $50 million Lotto Max draw on Jan. 16. The Vancouver native, who moved to Alberta in 1997 and “never regretted it,” checked his numbers while at the store buying food for his cat, Conway Kitty.
“I think I started hyperventilating. I was screaming, the girl at the till was screaming,” he said. “It literally is a ton of money and it’s a huge responsibility.”
So what is he going to do with all that money? The self-proclaimed car nut already bought a Porsche and plans on adding a ’65 Corvette to his collection, among others. Beyond that, Rush wants to stay grounded and plans to dedicate the rest of his life to humanitarian efforts.
“You can’t take this with you; this is a tremendous amount of money,” he said. “I’m looking at this as a gift from God and it’s a responsibility, and so I’m going to set up a trust fund and the interest that spins off this trust fund will go to feed hungry kids and homeless children around the world.
“A lot of people have nothing and I have so much. I want the money to do a lot of good even after I am gone.”
And, of course, Conway Kitty will live a life of luxury.
“He’s a big fan of pate, so I think we’ll stick to that program.”
Rush has already quit his job in the heavy equipment industry. He also plans to travel and finally get to one order of business he’s been putting off for quite some time.
“I can pay off that parking ticket in Moncton, New Brunswick now,” he said with a laugh. “It’s on the front of my fridge and it’s like, ‘Ugh, next paycheque, next paycheque.’ Now I’ve got no excuses.”
The winning numbers in the Jan. 16 draw were 6, 29, 30, 31, 36, 42 and 45.