MONTREAL - Three Quebecers won big over the weekend.
Liliane Synotte-Deschenes won the Loto-Max jackpot, and is $32 million richer; couple Jean-Roche Tremblay and Sophie Grothe won the 6/49, taking home $2.5 million.
All three winners live in Longueuil.
"I was alone in the house, and I screamed, and everyone came down and said, 'what's going on?'" said Tremblay of the moment when he knew he won. "They thought I went nuts. So I was in shock and still am."
He said worries about retirement had been lifted from his shoulders.
Synotte-Deschenes thought, at first, that she won $32,000. She thought the machine was broken.
The retiree plans to use the money to buy a new motorcycle, a car and to travel with her family.
The winners met reporters on Wednesday. Loto-Quebec said Quebecers buy about 20 per cent of Loto-Max, 6/49, and Daily Grand tickets sold nationwide. Last year, 139 Quebecers won jackpots over $1 million.
"You can say that it's really popular here in Quebec, but what is interesting is that Quebecers are actually more lucky, luckier than the average percentage of lottery tickets that they buy," said Patrice Lavoie, a spokesperson for Loto-Quebec.
The approximate odds of winning the Loto-Max jackpot is one in 33 million.
With files from Emily Campbell
