Winners of $70 million lottery in Canada revealed

The winners of a massive $70 million lottery jackpot in Canada have been revealed.

Loto-Québec has announced that Montérégie resident Jacques Deschamps and Wilhelmina Van Leewen of Montreal split the jackpot in the Friday, July 11 Lotto Max draw, each taking home $35 million.

They received their prizes at the Loto-Québec head office on Wednesday, a press release said.

Deschamps regularly buys Lotto Max tickets and early on Saturday morning, he checked his ticket on his phone while having a coffee, the release said.

Initially, he thought he had won $3,500, then $35,000.

He asked his spouse to check the ticket as well.

Stunned, she told him, “You won 35 million!”

“Deschamps hurried to send his son, who was still sleeping, a photo of the winning ticket. Impatient, he and his spouse called his home to ask their daughter-in-law to wake him up, as exciting news awaited him,” the release said.

Van Leeuwen, meanwhile, found out that she had won the other half of the $70 million jackpot Tuesday night while checking some tickets at a retailer.

And sure enough, the next morning, she was at the Loto-Québec head office to claim the prize.

In terms of their plans for the winnings, Deschamps said he wants to spoil his family, buy a condo in Montreal, and travel around the world, the release said.

Van Leeuwen also plans to travel.

She said she wants to go on a few trips — in first class.

The retailers where the tickets were purchased will each get a one per cent commission of $350,000.

“This is the second time in a matter of weeks that the Lotto Max jackpot has been won in Québec,” said Isabelle Jean, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of lottery games at Loto-Québec.

“At the beginning of June, 15 Trois-Rivières co-workers split a $20,000,000 jackpot, and this time, a $70,000,000 jackpot was won with two selections sold here.”

Images via Loto-Québec