Alberta Lotto 6/49 Winner Thought He Was Only $25K Richer Until He Checked His Ticket Again

A Lotto 6/49 winner in Alberta got a lot more than he bargained for when he found out he had a winning ticket worth $250,000.

Vernon Burpee, from Spruce Grove, had purchased his ticket from a 7-Eleven outlet at 9655 63 Avenue in Edmonton on August 22.

The draw was announced on August 24 -- a day before Burpee visited his local store to tally his ticket, per a press release.

“I thought I had won $25,000," Burpee said of his initial reaction. However, after checking his ticket once again, he realized there were a couple more zeroes at the end.

"Eventually I handed it to the clerk to check for me," Burpee said.

And the cashier was able to confirm what Burpee was seeing – he'd actually bagged a handsome $250,000.

As for how he may spend the windfall, Burpee doesn't have too many grand plans just yet.

“I’m going to put it all in the bank,” Burpee said.

Burpee joins a string of recent Alberta Lotto winners. Another Lotto 6/49 ticket-holder from Edmonton has bagged an incredible $17 million, after entering the draw hours before the final results.

Lotto 6/49 also announced its decision, earlier this week, to introduce new improvements across the country and increase the chances for more people to win.

If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, refer to these helplines across Canada. Support is available.