SASK LOTTERIES — Several Saskatchewan residents have found themselves large lottery winners this summer.
Buffalo Narrows
Regina Thunderchild and Terrence Chartier of Buffalo Narrows are $250,000 wealthier thanks to their Crossword Luxury Edition instant ticket.
The pair picked up their ticket from Lake Country Co-op at Big River Gas Bar in Big River on the night of Aug. 25. When they returned home, Regina scratched their ticket and was pleasantly surprised.
Her scratch revealed 11 words. Regina said she couldn’t help herself from jumping around in excitement.
“I almost gave Terrence a heart attack,” she said with a laugh.
Terrence waited until they had their ticket validated by a retailer before celebrating their win. “I’ve been pranked before,” Terrance said.
In addition to being debt free, the happy winners have a few plans for their recent windfall, “We’re going to Calgary for sure, and we’ll do some other travelling,” Regina said.
“I never thought I’d win this much,” she added.
Ile-a-la-Crosse
Tenelie Petit is ecstatic he added the All In to the Poker Lotto ticket he purchased for the Aug. 2 draw. In doing so, the Ile-a-la-Crosse resident’s prize jumped from $10,002 to $169,770.50, although he didn’t realize it right away.
“It said instant win but didn't show how much,” said Petit, who purchased his ticket at the at the Ile-a-la-Crosse Co-op Grocery Store on Ahenakew Boulevard.
It took him a couple more looks at his ticket before he realized that he won $2 on a Pair of Jacks or better in one hand and $10,000 on a Royal Flush in another hand, as well as the $159,768.50 All In jackpot.
“I was like, 'For real?!' Then I started getting nervous and felt like I was having an anxiety attack,” he laughed while claiming his prize. “I made my friends drive my car because I was still in shock.”
Petit used the Lotto Spot! app to confirm his win and then triple checked it the next day at another Lotto Spot! Retailer.
The happy winner plans to buy a new truck and a quad with his windfall.
Kelvington
Kelvington local Mona Belanko was at the Red Apple Store at 114 Main St. on July 26 when she picked up a Crossword Tripler Zing ticket. When she returned home and scratched her ticket later that day, she discovered that decision made her $100,000 richer.
At first, she thought she won $10,000 – but when she went back to the same store and handed her ticket to the cashier, she received a sweet surprise.
“I gave it to the cashier to check on their machine and said ‘I think it's for $10,000,’” recalled Belanko. “But then they told me I won $100,000!”
“I didn't know what to think. I just stood there and cried a bit,” Belanko laughed. “I think they were more excited than I was. I was in total shock.”
Belanko then called her daughter, who was just as surprised when she realized her mom wasn’t joking.
When it comes to her recent windfall, Belanko already has a few plans for how to use it.
“I'm going to get the roof fixed, pay some bills and help the kids out.”
Goodeve
When Kevin Stecyk discovered he won the second-top Extra prize of $100,000 on the Aug. 13 Western 649 draw, it was enough to turn his frown upside down.
"I woke up grumpy on Sunday morning, and that's when I check the tickets on my laptop," the Goodeve resident said as he claimed his prize. "I went down the line and, before I knew it, I had almost all the numbers matched up. I realized it was $100,000.”
Stecyk won by matching the last six digits of the winning EXTRA number for the Aug. 13 draw - 2302717.
"It's the biggest prize I've ever won," Stecyk said. "I called my wife over and got her to double check. She was pretty much in hysterics like I was.”
He purchased his winning ticket at the Victoria Square Shopping Centre Lotteries Kiosk at 2223 Victoria Ave. E in Regina on the day of the draw.
"It feels pretty good," said Stecyk. "I'm just going to save it for retirement."
St. Brieux
Kent Carfantan is taking home a $100,000 prize thanks to the Extra he added to his ticket for the Aug. 2 Lotto Max draw!
The St. Brieux resident discovered his windfall on Aug. 13 when he brought his ticket into the local store and scanned it using the self-checker. Carfantan recalled being shocked about discovering his windfall as he claimed his prize – so shocked he initially thought the prize was much lower.
"A guy was sitting there having breakfast and I told him I just won $10,000!" he laughed.
"As I was signing, I didn't think it was right,” he said.
So, the winner scanned his ticket once more for good measure, and sure enough when he rechecked it, it showed that he had won $100,000.
"I didn't say a word; I just walked out," Carfantan said.
The happy winner plans to put his recent windfall toward bills.
He purchased his winning ticket at the Country Crossroads at Junction HWY 2 and 41 in Wakaw on July 30. He won by matching the last six digits of the winning Extra number for the Aug. 2 Lotto Max draw – 6030644.
"I feel pretty happy and a little bit of shock," Carfantan added.
—Submitted by Sask Lotteries, the main fundraiser for more than 12,000 sport, culture and recreation groups in communities across Saskatchewan.
