The record-breaking $80,000,000 Lotto Max jackpot was won in the September 17 draw. One of the two winning tickets that matched the numbers drawn was purchased in Québec by Bernard Morissette, who’s in his eighties and from the Outaouais region. He took home half the historic jackpot.
Morissette has been playing Lotto Max for many years and has always chosen the same numbers, which are all dates that have a special significance to him. On September 17, around 9 p.m., he remembered that he hadn’t yet bought his ticket for that night’s draw, which was offering a record-breaking jackpot. He promptly logged in to his lotoquebec.com account to purchase one.
The day after the draw, a Loto-Québec employee got in touch with him to tell him the life-changing news. Morissette immediately yelled out to his wife: “Rachel! We won $40 million!” He was then invited to double-check this information via his online account to see the confirmation for himself and invited to visit the Loto-Québec head office.
He immediately contacted his three children to tell them he won. They were so skeptical that they had to check it out for themselves on their father’s computer!
As for what he plans to do with his windfall, Morissette says he needs time to think. One thing is for sure, though—he says he intends to secure his children’s financial future.
“This is the first time in Canada’s history that an $80,000,000 jackpot has been offered. We’re thrilled that a share of this historic jackpot was won in Québec. Lotto Max is a favourite among Québec lottery players. Since the game’s launch, they’ve collectively won over $3.7 billion with Lotto Max!” says Isabelle Jean, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Lottery Games at Loto-Québec.
Loto-Québec has been delivering entertainment to Quebecers for over 50 years, and its operations benefit Québec as a whole. The corporation has paid out 72 prizes of $1,000,000 or more across Québec since the beginning of the year, turning 58 players into millionaires. Major prize winners are listed on the Winners page in the Lotteries section of lotoquebec.com. Read their stories.
