A stop to check his lottery ticket turned into a celebration for the whole store for Canada’s latest lotto winner.
Michael Strauch of Salmon Arm, BC, won the $500,000 Extra prize from the April 26, 2024 Lotto Max draw.
Strauch was shocked when the retailer told him how much he had won.
“The retailer said, ‘You are a winner! You just won $500,000,’” he said. “I was freaking out and said, ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, this is a dream.’”
BCLC
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District resident bought and verified the winning ticket from Matchbox Smoke and Vape Shop on Trans Canada Hwy SW in Salmon Arm.
Strauch shared that customers in the store congratulated him on the win in a “really beautiful” moment. However, he couldn’t wait to get home to tell his partner the big news.
“We cried together, and she felt so much joy for me and for our future.”
He added that the win would provide for his future retirement as well as help him purchase a home.
“This win gives me the ability to slow down if I want to,” Strauch added. “Every day is a celebration now. We can relax and buy a home, and that brings an overwhelming amount of joy and gratitude into our lives.”
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