After constantly joking about winning the lottery, one Canadian man’s joke finally backfired when he did win.
Couple Chen Chen Zhang and Jung Eun Han live in Montreal, Québec, and one day, they purchased a Lotto Max ticket at a local store for the June 14 draw. At the time, there was a $55 million jackpot — a prize that went to Laurene Shail and Doltan Hawk from Milton, Ontario.
Irish Mae Silvestre/Daily Hive
Using a phone app, Zhang checked their ticket to check the results and discovered that they had won. But after years of joking about winning, he had a pretty tough time convincing his wife that this was for real.
“He came to see me and told me we’d won,” recalled Han. “Of course, I didn’t believe him because he always makes that joke.”
But it wasn’t until she saw the amount on her husband’s phone that she realized that he wasn’t kidding this time. She said she froze when she realized they had won a $1 million Maxmillions prize.
Chen Chen Zhang and Jung Eun Han from Montreal, Québec (Loto-Québec)
Now a million dollars richer, the couple said they’ll use their windfall to pay off their mortgage and spoil themselves.
The winners purchased their winning ticket at Dépanneur Rachel on Rue Rachel Est in Montréal. The retailer will receive a 1% commission of $10,000.
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.