If you think buying a lottery ticket on vacation will up your chances of winning, these Canadians may have proved that instinct right.
Three players from Quebec had quite a surprise recently thanks to lottery tickets purchased on the road.
André Jubinville and Isabelle Langlois, who are from Montreal, were on vacation in Berthierville, Quebec. Jubinville bought the lucky lottery ticket at the Voisin convenience store at 1181 Avenue Gilles-Villeneuve after a pontoon boat ride.
A few days after returning home, the couple checked the ticket at a retailer. Jubinville saw a series of zeros appear on the screen of the self-serve ticket checker. Overjoyed, he headed to the cash register and said, “I think I’ve won a million.”
He then called his wife Langlois, who stayed in the car, and asked her, “So tell me, would you like to be a millionaire?”
At first, she thought it was a joke that they won $1 million.
Langlois was so emotional she wept tears of joy and called her son. “Mom, you’re crying. I don’t get it!” he said.
The couple plans to use their windfall to sell their condo, buy a house, and, of course, spoil their son.
They weren’t the only lottery players to win after buying a ticket on vacation.
A few days after the couple collected their prize, Montérégie resident Martin Therrien took home the $2 million top prize in the July 30 Québec 49 draw with a ticket he bought in Lévis, Quebec.
Buying a lottery ticket on vacation is a long-standing tradition for Therrien.
He purchased the lucky ticket at Marché Express at 1220 Chemin Olivier in Lévis at the end of a motorbike road trip with friends.
The trio, which included Therrien’s son, had just ridden 4,000 km across eastern Québec and the Maritimes—in five days!
The new multimillionaire plans to use the jackpot to build a house with his son and take his spouse to the Caribbean.
He’d also like to buy a new motorcycle for longer trips and is already eyeing the American East Coast.
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.