It took a few decades, but two Canadian men are celebrating after finally winning big in the lottery.
Buddies Werner Maute and Daniel Kukko are residents of Thunder Bay, Ontario, who have been playing the lottery for 30 years. The two former coworkers remained friends and played the lottery to stay connected.
Kukko, who buys the tickets, often opts for Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max.
“I scanned our Lotto 6/49 ticket on the OLG app and saw a bunch of zeros and commas,” Kukko recalled. “I checked it again and showed my family to make sure what I was seeing was real. Then I took a screenshot and sent it to Werner.”
Maute was on holiday when his friend sent him the unexpected text: they had won a $1 million prize in the Lotto 6/49 September 4, 2024 draw.
“I was on vacation in Germany at the time,” said Maute. “When I received the screenshot, I was wowed. It was unbelievable for a few seconds, and then I was overcome with joy.”
Irish Mae Silvestre/Daily Hive
“I called Daniel, and when he answered, I said, ‘I hope this is real because this is one expensive phone call!’ Daniel laughed, saying, ‘I think you can afford it.’”
While at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim their prize, Maute said playing the lottery was just their way of keeping in touch — they never expected to win.
Now $500,000 richer, Maute said he’ll share his windfall with his child. He also plans to get some work done on his house and go on another vacation. As for Kukko, he intends to share his money with his children, pay bills, travel, and finally retire.
“I used to joke with my family, saying, ‘Someone’s going to win the lottery, and it won’t be you,’” Maute chuckled. “Now they tell me, ‘Someone’s going to win the lottery, and it won’t be us because it’s you!’”
The winning ticket was purchased at Circle K on Hodder Avenue in Thunder Bay.
All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, you can find resources here.