Press release

Montréal, November 28, 2018 – Montérégie residents Diane Bergeron Simard and Michel Simard won $1 million, which is half the jackpot, in the November 14 Québec 49 draw.

In short

• Lottery: Québec 49
• Prize won: $1,000,000 (half the jackpot)
• Category: Jackpot
• Draw date: November 14, 2018
• Winners’ place of residence: Montérégie
• Retailer: Couche-Tard (8075 Boulevard du Quartier, Brossard)
• The retailer will receive a $10,000 commission, equal to 1% of the prize.
• Claim centre: Loto-Québec head office, Montréal

Highlights

• The couple has been playing the same Lotto 6/49 and Québec 49 numbers for over 35 years.

• Mr. Simard discovered their win using Loto-Québec’s mobile app.

• He was so surprised at seeing all the numbers when he clicked Québec 49 results that he thought his wife had tampered with his device!

• Once reality sunk in, he called her to announce they had won, but didn’t say how much.

• Ms. Bergeron Simard thought they’d won $25,000. When she learned that it was actually $1 million, she thought he was kidding her.

• The couple met with a notary and financial advisor in order to be well informed before going to claim the prize at Loto-Québec’s offices.

• The happy winners waited a few days before telling their children, and filmed their reactions. These moments will always be wonderful memories for them.

• While they will remain grounded, they expect that their retirement will be golden.

Quotes

• “It’s surreal!”, the couple repeated several times when they went to Loto-Québec’s offices.

• “It’s such a huge amount!”, said Ms. Bergeron Simard.

• “We still can’t believe it...”

• “We’ll let the dust settle before making any plans.”

• “We could see the emotion in their eyes and feel their happiness as they told the story about their win,” said Marie-Josée Laplante, Loto-Québec consumer services representative.

A video featuring this winner is available on Loto-Québec’s YouTube channel. You may include it in the web version of your article: https://youtu.be/VSXEMvHBdyE.

About Loto-Québec

LotoQuébec’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 November 27, 2018, Loto-Québec paid out 129 prizes worth $1 million or more and created 102 millionaires. Gagnant à vie!, Grande Vie and Liste de vie! lotteries have provided 20 lucky winners with a lifetime annuity. Winners of large prizes are listed on the Winners page of the Lotteries site.