Canada's recent Lotto Max winners are friends who got $1 million on a shared ticket.
One of the winners pretended to be sick so he could surprise his friend with the win.
Sask Lotteries announced that James Wawryk and Joel Hedlin won a Maxmillions prize in the Lotto Max draw on April 25, 2025.
The friends often buy lottery tickets together and were shocked when the shared ticket scored $1 million.
Wawryk and Hedlin, who are residents of Saskatoon, bought the winning Lotto Max ticket from Ironwells Co-op Gas Bar on 44 Street in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan.
For that Maxmillions prize, the Lotto Max winning numbers were 1, 3, 13, 21, 25, 36 and 46.
Wawryk said he scanned the ticket a bunch of times on the Lotto Spot app to make sure it really was a winner.
"I thought, 'I've gotta calm down here,'" he said.
Then, he decided to share the news of the million-dollar win with a bit of a misdirect.
Wawryk texted Hedlin and asked him to come over, but not because he had something important to tell him.
"He said he was sick and dehydrated," Hedlin explained. "So, I went to drop off some Gatorade and check on him."
"That's when he scanned the ticket and showed me it was $1 million," Hedlin said.
James Wawryk and Joel Hedlin.Sask Lotteries
Wawryk shared that even with the excitement about the $1 million win, Hedlin still hasn't forgotten about the ruse.
"He's been on me ever since about paying back for the Gatorade," Wawryk said.
The friends have been hoping to win the lottery for a while now, and both already have plans for what they're going to do with the money.
"I'm looking forward to going to a Dallas Cowboys game for once in my life," Hedlin said.
Also, he and his wife have been talking about taking a trip.
"It'll be good to put money away and save some for a rainy day," Wawryk said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, refer to these helplines across Canada. Support is available.