BC Lotto Max winner scored $40 million with a ticket he got on a whim at a convenience store

The cashier was nice so he bought a Lotto Max ticket!

lotto max winner phuc duc daniela chau

Lotto Max winner Phuc Duc (Daniel) Chau.

Senior Writer

There's a new Lotto Max winner in Canada who won $40 million with a ticket from a convenience store.

He didn't plan on playing the lottery, but the cashier was nice, so he bought a ticket on a gut feeling!

BCLC just announced that Vancouver resident Phuc Duc (Daniel) Chau won the $40 million jackpot with the Lotto Max draw on May 23, 2025.

Chau bought the winning ticket at the 7-Eleven on Imperial Street and Boundary Road in Burnaby.

The Lotto Max winning numbers for the draw on May 23 were 13, 19, 23, 26, 36, 39 and 47.

Chau stopped at a convenience store to purchase a can of Bubly sparkling water.

He gets lottery tickets based on a gut feeling, and because the cashier at the convenience store was so bubbly, Chau also bought a Lotto Max ticket.

That ticket won him the $40 million jackpot!

"I was at work when I found out," Chau said. "I was going through my bag to find a cough drop, but I saw that I had two lottery tickets in my bag and decided to scan the tickets."

But he had to update the BCLC Lotto app, so he didn't find out about the win right away.

"The first ticket I didn't win anything, but the second said $40 million. I have never seen that many zeroes in my life, ever," Chau revealed.

"I dropped my phone and then called BCLC right away."

phuc duc daniela chau Phuc Duc (Daniel) Chau. BCLC

When he claimed his $40 million Lotto Max prize, Chau still hadn't told his partner that he was a millionaire.

"My partner doesn't know yet! I want to share the news with them in a special way," Chau explained.

His dream has always been to travel the world, but there are so many places he wants to go that he doesn't know where he'll travel to yet.

BCLC asked Chau if he's going to quit his job now that he's a millionaire, and he hasn't decided yet.

But he has plans to share the money and give back.

"I want to continue to support my community in a different way," he said.

"It means a lot to me. It opens up an opportunity for me to give back to my family, community and the world all around me," Chau explained. "It's not meaningful unless you can share this with those who need it."

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

  • Senior Writer

    Lisa Belmonte (she/her) is a Senior Writer with Narcity Media. After graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), she joined the Narcity team. Lisa covers news and notices from across the country from a Canada-wide perspective. Her early coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic earned Narcity its first-ever national journalism award nomination.

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