B.C. man wins $2.5M, but thought email about lottery win was a scam

A Lower Mainland resident is British Columbia’s newest millionaire.

Ryoichi Yamada of North Vancouver won $2.5 million after matching all six numbers and splitting the $5 million jackpot from the Lotto 6/49 draw on Aug. 16.

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According to the B.C. Lottery Corporation, Yamada, who picked his numbers online, received an email about his big win, but he said he thought it was a scam and ignored it at first.

“I was working and got an email,” he said. “(The email) said I won a prize and it exceeded the amount in my account and I thought it was a scam.

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“I logged onto my (PlayNow.com) account and realized there were a lot of numbers in there. I started shaking!”

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The winning numbers were 2, 3, 6, 7, 17 and 27. A ticket from Ontario had the same numbers.

He said when he shared the news that he’d won a lotto prize with his wife, “she asked if I won $10 and I said a little more.

“I showed her the amount and she was speechless.”

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Yamada claimed the winnings on Tuesday. Up next: A trip to Japan and purchasing property.