An Alberta couple is celebrating an unexpected windfall after their spur-of-the-moment decision to purchase a lottery ticket led to a staggering $7,000,000 win.
Andrea and John Wittig of Calgary, who typically only buy scratch tickets for holidays, decided on a whim to try their luck with a Daily Grand ticket, and it looks like it paid off.
Andrea recounted the moment she realized they won, saying, “[The cashier] checked it for me, and then he just looked at me and said ‘Congratulations!’ It took me a long time to realize just how much I’d won, but suddenly everyone [in the store] was congratulating me.”
Meanwhile, John, waiting in the car, was initially bewildered by Andrea’s emotional reaction.
“[She] was staring out the window at me, and suddenly there were tears,” he recalled. “Half a dozen people came out of the store to tell me congratulations. It was quite an experience!”
Their winning Daily Grand ticket, purchased from Real Canadian Superstore on Macleod Trail in Calgary, matched all five main numbers, securing them the game’s top prize.
The couple opted for the lump sum payout of $7,000,000 rather than the $1,000-a-day prize.
Reflecting on their newfound fortune, Andrea shared, “It is one thing to say ‘$7,000,000,’ and another thing entirely to wrap your head around!”
The couple plans to support their children and indulge in a European River Cruise. Andrea jokingly added, “I’ve also been needing to get a newer vehicle because mine is 20 years old. So, this is perfect timing!”