Lotto luck continues with local winners cashing in

Calgary’s lotto luck is continuing into the new year.

Western Canada Lottery Corp. on Tuesday announced two of the city’s most recent millionaires, after they cashed in Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 draws.

Lotto Max winner Mary D’Clute went to check her ticket the day after the Jan. 6 draw and was surprised to see the sheer size of the number looking back at her.

“I took my ticket to the selfchecker and put it through,” D’Clute said.

"I was shocked to see so many zeros on the little screen. I took my ticket to the clerk and said, ‘Does that say what I think it says?’

“She scanned the ticket and said, ‘I think you won $100,000.’ But we looked again and knew it was more.”

She scanned the ticket and said, ‘I think you won $100,000.’ But we looked again and knew it was more.

Turns out D’Clute was one of 20 Maxmillions winners in the same Lotto Max draw, in which 28 members of a Quebec family split the $60-million jackpot.

D’Clute was more than happy to walk away with her haul, however, and aims to squirrel some of it away for her retirement while spoiling herself a bit as well.

“We might buy a newer boat,” she said.

“And I think someone just might get spoiled: I’m going to buy my husband something nice.”

The lucky ticket was purchased via a quick pick at the Sunridge Petro Canada, 2655 36th St. N.E. The winning numbers were 4,11, 15, 18, 33, 36 and 39.

Calgary’s Brenda Lee and David Robertson experienced the same puzzlement over multiple zeros when they went to check their Lotto 6/49 ticket weeks after the Nov. 9 draw.

“David was filling up the car and I went inside to check some tickets,” Lee said. “I thought the screen said $1,000 at first. I was shocked when the clerk told me it was actually a million dollars. I really couldn’t speak, but I remember asking, ‘Are you sure?’ ”

The windfall will go a long way, said Robertson. “We’re going to pay for our kids’ education as a start.”

“We’ll invest the rest and make sure it benefits us in the long term. It will help to take the pressure off.”

They also plan on getting a new roof, having put off its replacement for far too long.

The ticket, which had the right number on the lottery’s guaranteed prize draw, was purchased at a 7-Eleven at 3508 37th St. S.W.

Not including Lee and Robertson, Calgarians last year claimed 13 prizes of at least $1 million via WCLC lotteries, worth $22 million.