Penticton resident Irene Vestner is $1 million dollars richer after winning the Guaranteed Prize Draw on the May 30, 2015 Lotto 6/49 draw.
Vestner was running errands when she decided to self-check her ticket — that’s the moment when her life changed.
“I didn’t believe it at first, when I checked my ticket,” recalled Vestner. “I had to call the store manager over to double check it and all I could do was stare at the machine in disbelief – I was stunned by the amount.”
The first person Vestner told about winning $1 million was her closest friend, who shared Vestner’s shock and excitement.
“At first, my friend thought I won $1,000 and I told her to check the zeros and she couldn’t believe there were six of them,” exclaimed Vestner.
As for plans on how to spend the winnings, Vestner says her first purchase will likely be a new condo but first, she needs time to allow the win to sink in.
Vestner says she will continue to play Lotto 6/49 because it’s her favourite form of entertainment.
The winning ticket was purchased at Smartshopper in Penticton. Owner Leigh Follestad said the biggest winning ticket they had sold prior to this was for $100,000 last year.
“I have been in retail for almost 30 years and $100,000 was the biggest I ever sold, now this. It is just really unbelievable to have sold it because the odds the numbers came out of my store are astronomical.”
Follestad added he couldn’t be happier for his long-time customer and agreed that perhaps he does have a lucky store.
“That’s what I am thinking,” joked Follestad. “It is just awesome for Irene. She is a really nice lady, non-assuming and quiet. It is really fantastic for her.”
Follestad was not in the store when the ticket was checked but said Vestner was quiet about it and wanted to wait until she got to the lotto office before she let anyone else know. Still, he added, it is quite the awestruck moment when you see that many zeros come up on the screen.
Lotto 6/49 is a nationwide lottery game drawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays after 6 p.m.
Each draw includes a Guaranteed Prize Draw of $1 million.