A group of coworkers in Calgary say they all plan to keep their jobs despite landing a $5 million Lotto 6/49 jackpot this summer.
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) says Edmond Beti, Jeremy Buckley, Faye Brautigam, Cindy Einarson, Christopher Ford, Eamon O’Nyons, and Jason Penhalagan scored the win on the June 29 draw and will all split the prize equally amongst themselves.
“I thought I was fired when they called me!” Brautigam told the WCLC. “They told me to take it off speakerphone, and it took a while to sink in!”
“I’m the first one at work every morning, and Edmond came to me with the ticket and told me,” Einarson said. “I thought he was about to ask for my portion of the money, but he said we won $5 million!”
The coworkers added that they had played together for six years and said it had become a fun routine to check if they had won on their weekly Super Pack.
This time around, checking their tickets was a different experience.
“We had two people check on their apps, and two others compare the numbers with the winning selection online,” Beti said. “We just couldn’t believe it!”
As for what they plan to do with the newfound windfall, each person had different plans for how they would spend their winnings.
“No one is quitting though,” laughed Beti. “Most of us are investing it for retirement or towards mortgages.”
“I’m taking my kids to Disneyland,” Ford added. “They always ask to go, and I always say, ‘Only if we win the lottery,’ so now I have to!”
The group purchased their Lotto 6/49 ticket at 7-Eleven located at 614 Crowchild Trail NW in Calgary. They won their prize on the Lotto 6/49 Classic Draw by matching the June 29 selection: 6, 7, 30, 33, 35, 39.
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.