So, let's dive into Canada's biggest Lotto Max winners in 2022 and 2023 who snagged jackpots from $31 million all the way up to $70 million, which is the biggest lottery jackpot that is offered in this country.
Marie McCarthy — $31 million
Marie McCarthy of New Waterford, Nova Scotia was the winner of a $31 million Lotto Max jackpot and she won the grand prize on her 83rd birthday with the January 31, 2023 draw.
The winning ticket that made her a multimillionaire was given to her as a birthday gift by her grandson!
2, 6, 16, 23, 40, 41 and 48 were the winning numbers for the January 31 draw.
Rhonda Malesku — $35 million
Lotto Max winner Rhonda Malesku.
BCLC
Kamloops, B.C. resident Rhonda Malesku scored a $35 million Lotto Max jackpot with a ticket purchased for the July 25, 2023 draw.
She split the $70 million jackpot with another winner in Alberta since they both had winning tickets that matched all seven numbers.
The Lotto Max winning numbers for that draw were 15, 16, 17, 18, 43, 44 and 48.
Lahsen Rezrazi and Debbie Ramsay — $35 million
Lotto Max winners Lahsen Rezrazi and Debbie Ramsay.
BCLC
Lahsen Rezrazi and Debbie Ramsay, who are from Victoria, B.C., won $35 million in the Lotto Max draw on June 6, 2023.
Their winning ticket matched all seven numbers but another ticket that was purchased in Ontario also matched those numbers so they split the $70 million jackpot.
The winning numbers for the June 6 draw were 4, 7, 13, 16, 31, 32 and 39.
William Scott Gurney — $55 million
Lotto Max winner William Scott Gurney.
BCLC
William Scott Gurney won a $55 million jackpot from the Lotto Max draw on February 28, 2023.
The Vancouver Island resident snagged the grand prize by matching all seven winning numbers: 1, 3, 8, 24, 35, 42 and 43.
"I called my assistant to my office, and she initially read the number on my phone as $55,000 — she then realized it said $55 million and we couldn't do anything all day after," he said.
Aaron Parsons — $55 million
Lotto Max winner Aaron Parsons.
WCLC
Aaron Parsons won $55 million with the Lotto Max draw on April 25, 2023, and he only bought a ticket because of someone's sweet tooth.
"My girlfriend was craving cake," he revealed after claiming his prize. "We had no eggs or sugar, so we went to the store, and I bought the ticket."
Parsons scoring the $55 million jackpot was record-breaking as it was the largest-ever lottery win in Lethbridge's history.
The winning numbers were 4, 19, 21, 33, 37, 38 and 39.
Janice and Randy Glays — $60 million
Janice and Randy Glays scored the $60 million jackpot that was offered with the Lotto Max draw on March 31, 2023.
Randy only spent $6 on the winning ticket that he bought at a supermarket in Winnipeg!
The Lotto Max winning numbers for the March 31 draw that got the couple this $60 million jackpot were 1, 3, 26, 28, 36, 47 and 50.
Lai Ching Yau — $60 million
With the Lotto Max draw on January 17, 2023, Lai Ching Yau won $60 million by matching all seven numbers to score the jackpot.
The Markham, Ontario resident checked her ticket in the OLG app and at a store but still couldn't believe it.
1, 2, 5, 6, 16, 30 and 45 were the winning numbers for that draw.
Camellia Kazemi Talachi — $60 million
Lotto Max winner Camellia Kazemi Talachi.
Courtesy of OLG
Richmond Hill, Ontario resident Camellia Kazemi Talachi is the winner of the $60 million Lotto Max jackpot from the draw on November 29, 2022.
"I gave my ticket to the clerk, and when the winning jingle started playing, I knew I won something but didn't know how much until OLG called the store and told me it was $60 million," Talachi said.
The Lotto Max winning numbers that she matched to win the $60 million jackpot were 1, 7, 8, 19, 32, 38 and 39.
Vera Page — $60 million
83-year-old Vera Page won the $60 million jackpot that was up for grabs in the Lotto Max draw on November 1, 2022.
After noticing that she matched all seven numbers with her ticket, the Vankleek Hill, Ontario resident told her son that they had to go to the grocery to make sure she actually won.
"We were in such a rush that I put on a pair of pants over my nightgown, threw on a jacket and went to the store half-dressed," Page said. "When I gave my ticket to the clerk, the bells and whistles went off, and the clerk yelled that I had won big."
The winning numbers for the November 1, 2022 draw were 2, 23, 27, 34, 43, 46 and 49.
Mitchel Dyck — $70 million
Mitchel Dyck won a record-breaking $70 million jackpot in the October 21, 2022 draw.
It was the largest jackpot that had ever been won by someone in Alberta!
He bought the winning ticket in Calgary on a whim after a cashier asked if he wanted one because he doesn't normally play the lottery.
The winning numbers for the October 21 draw that scored Dyck the $70 million jackpot were 1, 9, 25, 35, 41, 43 and 50.
How can you pick Lotto Max winning numbers?
While there are no numbers that win all the time or any guarantee that if you play numbers that have already won then you'll win too, you can still better your chances.
Recently, Narcity asked ChatGPT about how to win Lotto Max and the AI shared tips for how you can pick numbers to score a lottery prize.
Winning a Lotto Max jackpot is mostly a matter of "luck and chance," the AI noted, but there are still "general tips" that could help you out and change the way to play.
ChatGPT recommended selecting your own numbers instead of "relying on the computer to randomly select your numbers."
You should choose ones that have a special meaning to you like birthdays, anniversaries, and ages as your picks.
Then, the AI suggested that you play Lotto Max regularly to "better your odds of winning."
That includes joining a lottery pool with your coworkers, friends or family to increase your chances.
ChatGPT said you should avoid common numbers when choosing your lottery picks.
Also, the AI's last tip for how to pick winning Lotto Max numbers is to use a random number generator instead of the one lottery corporations use for auto-picks when you buy lottery tickets in-store, online or through an app.
"Some players choose to use a random number generator to select their numbers, which can increase the odds of getting unique numbers," ChatGPT said.
If you think playing numbers that have won many times before will better your chances, some of the winning numbers that came up the most with the Lotto Max winners from 2022 and 2023 are 1, 3, 16, and 43!
If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, refer to these helplines across Canada. Support is available.
Lotto Max winner Gregory Chialtas with a $70 million cheque.Courtesy of OLG
Pierre Richer who won a $50 million Lotto Max jackpot.
Ruth Bowes with a $35 million cheque.Courtesy of Western Canada Lottery Corporation
Rhonda Malesku who split the $70 million jackpot with Ruth Bowes.BCLC
