A group-chat joke has turned into a record-breaking windfall after a lottery ticket bought on a whim won a life-changing sum. Four Calgary friends will share Canada’s biggest-ever lottery prize after matching all the numbers in the October 20 Lotto Max draw. Eidelson Elchico, Lovelyn Malvar, Hazeline Ong and Velna Ramirez are set to each receive roughly CAD 22.5 million ($16 million).
Many of the Group Were Skeptical at First
The group had only recently started buying lottery tickets together. The friends watched the Lotto Max jackpot climb in early October and decided to try their luck, setting up a group chat that they jokingly named “Manifesting Millions.” The name, as it turns out, was prophetic. Although their winning ticket did manifest, none of the four were ready for what followed.
Elchico discovered the result around 3 a.m. He’d woken to get a glass of water and decided to check his emails on a whim. When he read the prize notification, he could not believe his eyes. Elchico immediately sent the news to the group chat. Ramirez initially missed the call, deciding it could wait until morning. When her phone rang again, she feared an emergency.
Ramirez was skeptical at first, even after the group shared a screenshot of the winning numbers. She asked her husband to confirm the numbers himself before accepting they had finally won. Malvar reacted similarly, initially thinking the email was a scam. Even after confirming the result, she shared that the experience was overwhelming.
The Friends Are Considering Donating Some Funds to Charity
The friends have not yet decided what to do with their newfound wealth. Malvar joked about buying a private island but said she’d rather take her time before making big decisions. The others appear equally cautious. Steve Lautischer, executive vice-president of business development at Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, noted that the four winners’ story was unusually heartwarming.
“It’salmost like this stuff writes itself. It’s unbelievable how this has come together for this group.”
Steve Lautischer, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis executive VP
The four winners are considering donating some of the prize money to the Alberta Children’s Hospital or a local church, though they have not reached an official decision. Elchico noted it would be good to share some of the funds with the local community. For now, the winners are keeping their plans open. Before the official announcement, only their closest family knew of the jackpot.
Canada has seen several other big lottery wins this year. In January, Laval resident Maria Caroli won the top prize in Loto-Québec’s Gagnant à vie scratch ticket game. She chose to receive CAD 1,000 ($700) per week for life rather than take a CAD 1 million ($709,000) lump sum. Canadians also enjoyed several major casino jackpots. In August, IGT’s Powerbucks progressive system awarded three seven-figure prizes in the country.
Rephrased by The Mystic Gambler