Latest news with #LottoSpot
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Calgary resident Shelley Runkvist turns Big Spin into $350K prize
On Tuesday, Calgary resident Shelley Runkvist turned a $10,000 winning Big Spin ticket into $350,000. The Big Spin is a $5 instant ticket with a twist: Players can win cash prizes the same way they do with a regular scratch ticket but can also uncover a 'Spin Win' which lets them discover their prize through an animated prize wheel at any Lotto Spot retailer. If the player's Spin Win prize is a 'Big Spin', they get $10,000 plus a chance to spin a wheel that guarantees at least $100,000 and goes up to the highest prize of $500,000. Runkvist bought her winning Big Spin ticket at the Sobeys Country Hills at 200-500 Country Hills Boulevard in Calgary. 'It was the day before Mother's Day on a last-minute stop for groceries, and I was shocked when I saw [the winning ticket],' Runkvist said, in a media release. 'I said, 'I won that -- and a Big Spin?!'' 'I only told my eldest daughter and I've been waiting in anticipation to make sure it's all true!' After spinning and winning $350,000 in front of her family, Runkvist said: 'This will definitely keep me at the lake, enjoying my summers!' The Calgary winner said she had recently been considering giving up her cabin property to save money for retirement and is thrilled to be able to keep enjoying her time out there. 'Money can really help you feel more like you're on 'easy street,'' Runkvist said. 'I just want to use this to live well—and help me be happy!' Big Spin tickets are available at Lotto Spot retailers throughout the province.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lethbridge local wins lottery for the third time in less than a year
David Serkin of Lethbridge has taken home his third large lottery prize in less than a year. The cancer survivor won $500,000 on the August 20 LOTTO MAX draw, $1 million on the November 16 LOTTO 6/49 draw and most recently $1 million prize on the May 3 LOTTO 6/49 Classic draw, totalling $2.5 million in lottery wins in less than nine months. He also won a $250,000 lottery prize 12 years ago. Western Canada Lottery Corp. described this win as rare in a news release, saying the odds of winning the LOTTO MAX jackpot or a MAXMILLIONS prize are both 1 in 33,294,800. The odds of winning the LOTTO 6/49 $5 million Classic Draw are 1 in 13,983,816. 'I know the odds are astronomical,' Serkin told Lotto Spot. 'I don't think it'll happen again, but I still like buying tickets.' Serkin won his $1 million prize on the May 3 LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball draw with the selection 24645097-05, a white ball. The odds for the Gold Ball Draw are determined for each draw by the total number of selections issued across Canada. He purchased the ticket while buying gas, and seeing the Gold Ball draw getting close to the final ball selection, asked himself 'what do I have to lose?' He described his family as being in disbelief of the win. 'I went for coffee with the boys after I checked my ticket,' he said. 'They asked to see it and said, 'Not again?!'' Serkin said he took his wife to Hawaii after his last win, and is planning a trip to Newfoundland with his latest prize. Multiple wins, while unusual, are a well-known phenomenon in lottery play all over the world, according to WCLC spokesperson Emily Olsen. WCLC reviewed Serkin's recent wins and concluded that they are all legitimate, having purchased his winning tickets four months apart and at different retail locations. 'Since wins occur randomly — without a pattern and by chance — multiple wins are entirely possible and do happen,' Olsen said. WCLC conducts reviews when unusual occurrences such as Serkin's wins take place. This does not indicate suspicion, but is to demonstrate WCLC's commitment to ensuring the right prize is paid to the right player. The Lethbridge local has been playing since LOTTO 6/49 launched in 1982. His most recent winning ticket was purchased from Shell Lethbridge at 2440 Fairway Plaza Road S in Lethbridge. Serkin isn't the only lucky Albertan playing the lottery. The province saw 55 people taking home prizes of $1 million or higher in 2024, totalling $237.3 million. That compares to 11 winners in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where players in there were awarded $17 million and $53 million respectively. Calgarians took home the most out of the larger prairie cities, ending up with $108.3 million among 22 winners. The next luckiest were Edmontonians, where 12 jackpot tickets racked up $23 million. WCLC's largest prize in 2024 — $70 million — was won by Beaverlodge resident Brian Hoover. The second largest prize — $66 million — was won by Calgarian James Jutzi. Those lopsided windfall results can be attributed to Alberta — and Calgary's — larger populations and a greater tendency for people here to try their luck, said Olsen. She said 60 per cent of the lottery company's sales are made in Alberta, with 20 per cent each in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Calgary currently has one unclaimed prize of $1 million from a LOTTO/649 ticket purchased on Aug. 24, 2025 with the winning numbers 26209629-02. — Files from Bill Kaufmann
Calgary Herald
03-06-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Lethbridge local wins lottery for the third time in less than a year
Article content Article content The cancer survivor won $500,000 on the August 20 LOTTO MAX draw, $1 million on the November 16 LOTTO 6/49 draw and most recently $1 million prize on the May 3 LOTTO 6/49 Classic draw, totalling $2.5 million in lottery wins in less than nine months. Article content Western Canada Lottery Corp. described this win as rare in a news release, saying the odds of winning the LOTTO MAX jackpot or a MAXMILLIONS prize are both 1 in 33,294,800. Article content Article content 'I know the odds are astronomical,' Serkin told Lotto Spot. 'I don't think it'll happen again, but I still like buying tickets.' Article content Article content Serkin won his $1 million prize on the May 3 LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball draw with the selection 24645097-05, a white ball. Article content The odds for the Gold Ball Draw are determined for each draw by the total number of selections issued across Canada. Article content He described his family as being in disbelief of the win. Article content 'I went for coffee with the boys after I checked my ticket,' he said. 'They asked to see it and said, 'Not again?!'' Article content Serkin said he took his wife to Hawaii after his last win, and is planning a trip to Newfoundland with his latest prize. Article content The Lethbridge local has been playing since LOTTO 6/49 launched in 1982. His most recent winning ticket was purchased from Shell Lethbridge at 2440 Fairway Plaza Road S in Lethbridge. Article content Article content Serkin isn't the only lucky Albertan playing the lottery. The province saw 55 people taking home prizes of $1 million or higher in 2024, totalling $237.3 million. Article content That compares to 11 winners in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where players in there were awarded $17 million and $53 million respectively. Article content Calgarians took home the most out of the larger prairie cities, ending up with $108.3 million among 22 winners. Article content The next luckiest were Edmontonians, where 12 jackpot tickets racked up $23 million. Article content WCLC's largest prize in 2024 — $70 million — was won by Beaverlodge resident Brian Hoover. The second largest prize — $66 million — was won by Calgarian James Jutzi. Article content Those lopsided windfall results can be attributed to Alberta — and Calgary's — larger populations and a greater tendency for people here to try their luck, said WCLC spokesperson Emily Olsen. Article content She said 60 per cent of the lottery company's sales are made in Alberta, with 20 per cent each in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
