$31M-jackpot winner plans to retire, travel and spend more time with family
A British Columbia woman who found herself suddenly $31 million richer says she plans to retire, but she's not sure what's next.
Jennifer Cole was revealed Monday as the winner of the July 8 Lotto Max Draw.
The resident of West Kelowna said she checked her latest ticket after hearing the jackpot winner bought theirs on PlayNow.com, where she has a subscription.
The prize is the largest ever awarded to a winner who bought their ticket through the site, the B.C. Lottery Corporation said in a news release.
Cole logged in to her account and noticed something right away.
"When I saw the number in my account, it was a lot more than expected," she said in the BCLC news release.
She said she told her family first about the prize, but held off on the amount.
"Once they woke up, I told them I won the jackpot. They were very excited," she said.
As for what Cole plans to do now, she said she looks forward to retiring, and plans to spend that newfound time with family.
Beyond that, she's still shaping her plans, having only just claimed her prize on Friday.
"I plan on taking some time to decide what's next but am definitely looking forward to travelling," she told BCLC.
The odds of winning the main jackpot, like Cole did, are one in 33,294,800 per $5 play.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.