Lotto winner saw 'bunch of zeros' and thought he was seeing a 'binary-error code'
It's not unusual that lottery winners say they didn't believe what they saw when they found out about their sudden fortunes, but one of B.C.'s newest millionaires went a step further.
Not only did Eric Emery not believe he'd won the Guaranteed $1 Million Prize in a Lotto 6/49 draw, but he even came up with an explanation for what he was seeing when he checked his ticket.
"I saw the one and a bunch of zeros and thought maybe it was a binary-error code," the resident of Surrey told the B.C. Lottery Corporation.
"My first thought was, 'Is this an error?'"
But what he saw was his prize: $1,000,000.
Emery told BCLC he knew who he'd tell first, because he knew who would ask first.
"Every Monday, my wife asks me, 'Did you make me a millionaire?' I knew she would ask me when I got home," Emery told BCLC.
As is often the case, she didn't believe it either. She even told him off for joking.
Then she started to cry, realizing it wasn't a prank, he said. The pair planned to celebrate with a family dinner, and will start planning a post-pandemic trip.
Emery bought his lucky ticket to the Christmas Day draw at a 7-Eleven on 200th Street in Langley, BCLC said.
He actually won the highest dollar amount in that draw, as no one matched all six numbers to claim the $18,262,578.10 jackpot.
Other B.C. winners that day include unidentified residents of Powell River and Coquitlam, who won $100,000 and $500,000.
But the odds were not in any of the winners' favour. Chances of winning the prize Emery claimed vary depending on the number of plays for the draw, but the winner must match the 10-digit number exactly.
The chances of winning the $500,000 Extra prize are one in more than 3.7 million, according to PlayNow.com.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Man ticketed after allegedly trespassing again at Drake's Bridle Path mansion to get his bike
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Biden calls Trump 'unhinged,' says 'something snapped' in former president after he lost 2020 U.S. election
U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday called Donald Trump “clearly unhinged” and claimed that “something snapped” in the former president after he lost the 2020 election.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Switzerland's Nemo wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest
Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with 'The Code,' an operatic ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing their nongender identity.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.