Lotto Max Winner In Alberta Won Big & Asked His Wife What She Wanted Him To Buy Her

A Lotto Max winner in Alberta found out he won $1 million and he immediately asked his wife what gift she'd like.

Lorniel Velez bought a Lotto Max ticket Circle K at B-625 Fifth St. S.E. in High River just a few hours before the October 21 draw.

The following week, he went back to the same store to check his ticket on the self-checker and he then realized he was about to be $1 million richer.

“I was happy,” Velez said of discovering his win.

His Lotto Max ticket had matched the winning numbers for a Maxmillions prize on the draw.

After finding out he was about to become a millionaire, Velez went home to let his wife know about the good news.

“I got home and asked my wife what she wanted me to buy for her,” he said. "Then I told my son that I won the lottery.”

While Velez didn't reveal what his wife had picked out, he has made some plans on what to do with the rest of his winnings.

"I;m going to pay off my mortgage and put some into savings," he added. “It's a relief. I don't have to worry about my kids' college.”

Velez isn't the only Lotto winner to have bought his ticket in High River. Thorne and Maxine Thompson bought a Western Max ticket on October 18 from the Co-Op Food Centre on 1220 First St.

Almost 10 days later, the pair check their ticket and at first, they thought they'd won $1,000.

“When I checked this ticket, I thought, ‘wow, we won $1,000’,” Thompson explained.

“I took it to Thorne to check, and he said, 'no, we won a million!’”

The couple has decided to put the money in the bank and also help out some family members.

“We used to dream about being lottery winners; now we are!” she added.