A North Okanagan man is $1 million richer after paying attention to a ‘gut feeling’ that he should buy a lottery ticket.
Paul Hutchen of Lumby says he was travelling through Vernon last week when he stopped at a gas station and purchased the lucky 6/49 ticket.
Hutchen matched all 10 numbers in the June 29 draw and won the guaranteed $1 million prize.
“I stopped at the gas station, and I could not believe what I was seeing,” Hutchen said after checking his ticket.
“My friend owns the local pub, so I went there and he ran my ticket through his machine and confirmed the win. My first thought was, ‘Please don’t have a heart attack right now!’”
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Hutchen says he recently moved to Lumby to be closer to his daughters. The move came after living eight years on his boat along the west coast.
With the lottery winnings, Hutchen says he plans to see more of the world, and that his bucket-list locations include Costa Rica and Greece. However, he says his most important goal is making sure his two daughters are set for the future.
“It will definitely let me look after them,” said Hutchen, “and help with their futures.”