Southeast Saskatchewan rang in the New Year with two million-dollar winning lottery tickets. Conrad Keturakis lives just an hour and a half down the road from Tara and Jason Duhaime - and both Conrad and the Duhaimes are kicking off the New Year as Millionaires, thanks to LOTTO MAX and MAXMILLIONS.
Midale resident Conrad Keturakis purchased a $20 LOTTO MAX ticket from the Esso Convenience Store in Weyburn. That ticket won three Free Plays and one of those won a $1 Million MAXMILLIONS prize on the December 31 draw.
While picking up a few groceries, Keturakis remembered to check his ticket.
?I checked it on the ticket checker and thought I broke the machine. There were a whole bunch of zeros and a two.?
Keturakis didn?t break the machine at all - he won $1 Million and $2 on EXTRA.
?It?s pretty exciting,? he said with a smile. ?It still hasn?t sunk in and I?m still doing everyday things. But it will be nice to have no financial worries.?
Meanwhile, Carlyle residents, Tara and Jason Duhaime checked their LOTTO MAX ticket, bought at South Plains Co-op Carlyle C-Store, a couple of days after the draw on the WCLC website.
?I knew that someone in Ontario won the $50 Million so I thought I?d check online and just breeze through my numbers,? Tara explained. ?Then I saw one of my lines matched. I must have checked it 25 times. And they still matched! I was in disbelief!?
?I was driving to work when Tara called so I let it go to voicemail,? Jason explained. ?It was less than two minutes later, and she called back again. I knew it must be important so I pulled over. She asked if I was pulled over and then told me that we won a million dollars. I said a few expletives!? he chuckled.
The newfound millionaires plan to pay off debts and invest the rest.
?There will be no big changes, I?ll continue working,? said Jason. ?The ability to be debt free is a dream come true and I?ll enjoy work that much more. I?ve always loved my job and said how much I enjoy it but these last few days have been unreal.?
Keturakis said he plans to speak with a financial planner before doing anything further, although he?d like to purchase a house.
