Vancouver Island woman plans to 'sail away' after $18M lotto win

Sharon Fraser was sitting at the breakfast table on the boat she lives on when she checked her lottery ticket, and found out she had won big.

The Ucluelet resident thought she won a free play—as per usual in her “many years” of buying tickets—but then she saw “a one and eight and all these zeros.”

“I thought my phone’s got a problem, they’ve made a mistake,” Fraser recalled at a cheque presentation at the Vancouver BC Lottery Corporation Office on Tuesday. Then her son turned to her and reminded her what the draw’s jackpot was.

There was no mistake: Fraser had matched all seven numbers on the Feb. 23 Lotto Max draw, making her $18 million richer.

The retiree said she plays the same numbers every week, ones given to her randomly years ago that she stuck with. “You dream about this kind of a situation and it came true,” she told CTV News.

Fraser’s plans with the windfall include buying property—she said she doesn’t own any at the moment—a new car, and traveling south for some warmth.

“(We’ll) get in our boat and sail away,” she said.

One thing Fraser knows she won’t be buying is a new boat. “What we’ve got is absolutely perfect, we’ve spent 17 years putting it together and refitting it and upgrading it and there’s gonna be no changes,” she told CTV News.

Lottery players in B.C. have redeemed over $34 million in winnings from the Lotto Max so far in 2024, according to BCLC. The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 33,294,800.

Vancouver Top Stories

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

W5 Investigates

W5 Investigates 'It's a bad look': Calls grow to restrict high-tech car theft devices in wake of W5 investigation

There are new calls to crack down on the sale of high-tech devices that can be used to clone key fobs and steal cars, in the wake of a W5 investigation that found the devices are falling into the hands of thieves.

Cold case that puzzled Toronto-area police for nearly half a century cracked. Here's how they did it

For nearly 45 years, the identity of the human remains found along a rural road north of Toronto remained a mystery. It was on July 16, 1980, when a Markham, Ont. resident made the discovery near a wooded area on Eleventh Concession, between 14th and Steeles avenues. Unbeknownst to them, the remains belonged to William Joseph Pennell, a convict who had escaped a Kingston prison a month earlier.

Jake Paul beats 58-year-old Mike Tyson as the hits don't match the hype

The boos from a crowd wanting more action were growing again when Jake Paul dropped his gloves before the final bell, and bowed toward 58-year-old Mike Tyson.

'Keep that legacy going': Siblings revive one of Alberta's oldest general stores

It's a brisk, bright autumn morning when Julie-Ann McNeilly comes barrelling down a dirt road, steps out of her van and dives deep into the history of Johnny's Store.

'We are not Disneyland': Outrage in Rome over Airbnb 'gladiator' battles at the Colosseum

The ancient Colosseum in Rome has witnessed some historic battles, with toga-clad crowds once packing the gigantic venue to watch gladiators slug it out against opponents including lions and baboons.

King Arthur left an ancient trail across Britain. Experts say it offers clues about the truth behind the myth

King Arthur, a figure so imbued with beauty and potential that even across the pond, JFK's presidency was referred to as Camelot — Arthur’s mythical court. But was there a real man behind the myth? Or is he just our platonic ideal of a hero — a respectful king, in today's parlance?

Olav Thon, billionaire Norwegian real estate developer, dead at 101

Olav Thon, a billionaire who went from selling leather and fox hides in his youth to build one of Norway's biggest real estate empires, has died. He was 101.

Former soldier 'Canadian Dave' taken by the Taliban: sources

David Lavery, a former Canadian Forces soldier who helped approximately 100 people flee Afghanistan during the fall of Kabul, has been 'picked up' by the Taliban this week, according to multiple sources who spoke to CTV National News on the condition of anonymity.

String of three murders in Nova Scotia raises alarm about intimate partner violence

Groups working to help victims of domestic violence in Nova Scotia say a recent string of murders of women provides just a glimpse of the extent of intimate partner violence in the province, and they say more action is needed to protect victims.