Press release

Montréal, August 11, 2017 – Twenty-seven co-workers from the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean area won the $23,017,319 Lotto Max jackpot on August 4, 2017. They came to pick up their cheques this morning. Group representative Guy Perron purchased the ticket. The winners agreed to share this happy time at a press conference at Hôtel Le Montagnais in Chicoutimi.

Summary

• Lottery: Lotto Max
• Prize won: $23,017,319
• Category: Jackpot
• Draw date: August 4, 2017
• Winners’ place of residence: Saguenay‒Lac-Saint-Jean
• Retailer: Dépanneur Cadeko (1755 Boulevard Sainte-Geneviève, Chicoutimi)
• The retailer will receive a 1% prize of $230,173
• Claim centre: Québec City office

The winners are:

• Caroline Boulianne
• Marie-Ève Blackburn
• Annie Compartino
• Joëlle Côté
• Maxime Côté-Simard
• Yves Darveau
• Nathalie Desbiens
• Maude Duchaîne
• Lucie Fournier
• Bruno Gagnon
• Caroline Girard
• Germain Girard
• Line Huot (Bruno Gagnon’s spouse)*
• Élise Jean
• Sonia Larouche
• Sylvie Larouche
• Suzie Migneault
• Christine Milliard
• Manon Perreault
• Francine Perron
• Guy Perron (group representative)
• Claire Potvin
• Karine Rivard
• Christine Simard
• Chantale Thibeault
• Christine Tremblay
• Sylvie Tremblay
• Audrey Vaillancourt

*Bruno Gagnon held the ticket equally with his spouse, Line Huot.

Highlights

• Approximately 10 years ago, a group of 27 co-workers from Saguenay City Hall’s Finance department decided to get together to play the lottery.

• Group representative Guy Perron usually buys the tickets at different locations.

• Mr. Perron was the one to discover their win.

• He immediately called co-worker Bruno Gagnon to announce the news.

• Since they didn’t have telephone numbers for everyone in the group, the two co-workers went to the office to get them and spread the news.

• The group will deposit the money in the bank and take some time to consider their options before making plans.

• However, the winners all have a common cause and will each give $1,000 to Opération Père Noël du Saguenay−Lac-Saint-Jean. The money will be put in a fund so 27 children from the region will have at least one gift to open every year on Christmas day for the next 10 years.

   

Quotes

• “When I saw the amount, I thought that the machine wasn’t working properly! Then, my whole body started shaking,” said Mr. Perron.
• “A lot of people were on vacation! It was crazy! Each time we gave the news to another member of the group, our adrenaline started pumping!” said Messrs. Perron and Gagnon.
• “ We’re a group of accountants, so we’re pretty laid-back people! On TV, we see announcers talking about a winning group – and that’s us! It’s really weird!” said Mr. Gagnon.

Lottery prize payments in gaming establishments

Trois-Rivières and Québec City gaming halls, Loto-Québec’s Montréal and Québec City offices, or at the Casino de Montréal, Casino du Lac-Leamy, Casino de Charlevoix or Casino de Mont-Tremblant. All details are on the You’ve won? page of the Lotteries site.

About Loto-Québec

Loto-Québec’s mission is to responsibly and efficiently manage games of chance in a controlled and measured fashion, in the interest of all Quebecers. Entertainment is at the heart of its activities. From January 1 to August 8, 2017, Loto-Québec paid out 75 prizes worth $1 million or more and created 90 millionaires. Gagnant à vie! and Grande Vie lotteries have respectively provided 11 and 10 lucky winners with a lifetime annuity.