This Lotto Winner Plans To Help Those In A 'Tough Spot' With His Historic $55 Million Win

A man in Saskatchewan is now $55 million richer as he celebrates the second-largest lotto win in the province's history.

According to a news release on Wednesday, October 27, Saskatoon native Matthew Poppel won the massive jackpot in the October 19 Lotto Max draw.

The morning of his win, Poppel had apparently gone to work as per usual and checked his three Lotto Max tickets on his phone later that day.

"The first one didn't win anything, the second one won a Free Play and the last one said 55 followed by a bunch of zeroes," Poppel told Sask Lotteries. "I thought the app was just telling me the winning amount, not that my ticket had won that amount."

After finally realizing he had actually won the $55 million jackpot, Poppel said that he was going to take some time to decide what to do with all his winnings, but he did have some initial thoughts.

"Whenever I thought about winning the lottery in the past, I've thought about what I would do if I won $1 million," he said. "I wouldn't be able to retire on that, but I could help my parents to retire and I could help some people who are in a tough spot."

Poppel said now with his big win he can do even more than he ever imagined and plans to set up his family financially before having some fun with his winnings.

"I was thinking – and joking – that I should buy a luxury vehicle just because I can," he said in the press release. "But now I think it's a good idea. I can buy it, so why not!?"

Poppel's win comes in just behind Saskatchewan's largest Lotto Max win in its history of $60 million in August of 2016.

And in case you were wondering, Poppel purchased his ticket at Pinnacle Gas & Food on Faithfull Avenue in Saskatoon.