Lotto Max Winner From BC Did 'A Double Take' After Realizing He'd Won In A Very Random Way

A lottery player in B.C. scored an astonishing amount of money in the Lotto Max draw and had to double-check it after realizing he'd won.

Gerald Long, from Duncan, B.C., had such a hard time believing he'd won the $1 million Maxmillions prize in the April 15, 2022, Lotto Max draw by picking his numbers in the most random way possible.

"I was picking my regular numbers and then I decided to add an extra line by physically closing my eyes and picking random numbers off of the keypad on my phone," he said.

“I couldn’t believe it. I had to do a double take,” he told the British Columbia Lottery Corporation.

He realized he had won while he was at his cousin's house over the Easter weekend. Not only was he in disbelief that he had won the lottery, but his entire family was as well.

“Everyone was in complete shock,” he said.

Long plans to put his winnings towards a family trip and wants to take some time to think about what he'd like to do with the rest.

“It’s a dream really,” he said.

Last year was a lucky year for lottery players. In 2021, lotto players scored over $262 million in winnings from Lotto Max, according to the BCLC.

One Lotto Max winner from B.C., Joanna Danielewicz, said it was "a blessing" to have won almost $250,000 from a draw on December 31.

Another winner, Lindalie Dansereau, also from B.C., was in disbelief when she found out she had won $1 million in the April 6 Lotto 6/49 draw.

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