OTTAWA – There were the horoscope numbers, the kids’ birthdays, the past winners and the good old automatic picks.
However one chose to play Friday’s record-high Lotto Max ticket, it didn’t change the fact that about $105 million was at stake.
That’s a lot of yachts.
Or, for some dreamers, a more modest form of nautical adventure.
"I would move to Cuba," said Ashley Martinez, who was reminded by her dad to get a ticket. "I would buy a sailboat and I would just spent my days snorkelling," she said.
With a $50-million jackpot, and $55 million in individual $1-million "maxmillions" prize to be won, Canadians weren’t shy about wanting their share of the pot.
The chatter is the result of unprecedented ticket sales, which are expected to be up about 15 per cent from last week’s $125 million in national sales, said Sarah Kiriliuk, a spokeswoman for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
There are now 56 prize draws on Friday, with results to be announced by early Saturday morning.
"This is spreading the wealth a little bit so there’s lots of chances for people to win," said Kiriliuk. Last week, there were 30 winning maxmillions tickets, she added.
This week, could draw the jackpot, which has gone unclaimed for the past four weeks. But many ticket-holders said they’d gladly take the $1 million consolation.
Leslie Terrence, using the kids’ birthday trick to pick her seven numbers, said she didn’t have big plans for the money – maybe an Alaska tour. But that’s not the only reason she was buying her $5 ticket.
"You can have a great time dreaming about all the stuff you’d do. Just the freedom," she said.
Others weren’t even shooting for the top.
"I don’t want $50 million," said Marion McGregor, a federal government employee. "How much do you need to live on?"
Still, if she had to, McGregor said she’d rent a cruise ship and sail around with her friends.
For $1 million, she’d even quit her job.
One maxmillions winner, Rita Levesque, was drinking her morning coffee earlier this month when she discovered she had a golden ticket.
"There it was. I followed the numbers one-by-one, and they matched mine. I was in shock a bit, I kept going, ‘Oh my god, I just won a million dollars.’ "
The 66-year-old Orleans, Ont., woman who is "more relaxed" since her win on June 11, said she hopes to buy a cottage to share with her four children, their spouses, and 13 grandchildren – 12 girls and a boy.
She couldn’t provide too many tricks of the trade to fellow players, seeing as her numbers were chosen automatically. "Just buy your ticket and hope for the best," she offered.
That’s what Levesque is doing, anyway: she’s playing again this week.
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