$46 million lottery winner revealed in Canada and he broke a record

The winner of a massive $46 million lottery jackpot in Canada has been revealed.

Whitemouth, Manitoba resident Earl Giesbrecht won the gold ball jackpot in the May 16 Lotto 6/49 draw, the Western Canada Lottery Corporation announced.

The massive windfall marks the largest Lotto 6/49 win in Manitoba history.

The second-largest was almost exactly five years prior, when someone won $27.5 million from the May 12, 2021 draw, the WCLC said.

“I didn’t know I won, but I did see that someone in Manitoba had so I wanted to check my ticket,” Giesbrecht said.

He went to the store to scan it but at first glance, he didn’t realize the size of the prize.

“I thought it was $46,000 at first,” Giesbrecht said.

“When I started counting the zeroes, the cashier said, ‘It’s actually $46 million,’ and I just about fell over.”

He was in shock — and was stunned into silence.

“I thought I was going to have a heart attack,” Giesbrecht said.

“I had to call my brother just to come and sit with me in the store. I didn’t think I could even drive myself home.”

Giesbrecht said that not long after he discovered the win, many others did too.

“I think the whole town already knows I’ve won,” he said.

“News spreads fast!”

Handout / WCLC

Among his plans for the winnings, Giesbrecht said he wants to buy a house and help out his children.

“I’m also going to pay my ex-wife’s mortgage off. We were together many years and we still talk,” he added.

He has spoken with his bank about managing the majority of the money.

“I don’t have many big plans because I’ve never had money like this,” Giesbrecht said.

“It feels fantastic though—it’s unbelievable.”

Giesbrecht said he’s currently semi-retired, but that may change.

“I’m thinking about maybe becoming fully retired… we’ll see.”

The winning ticket was purchased in Whitemouth at First Stop Grocers on 115 Railway Avenue.