Press release

Montréal, July 23, 2020 — $6,000,000 is the whopping sum that Laurentides resident Guylaine Desjardins took home in the July 1 Lotto 6/49 draw.

The newly minted multimillionaire celebrated her win at the Casino de Mont-Tremblant during a press briefing that took place in compliance with public health measures and was streamed live so that members of the media and the public could attend virtually.

It was the first time that Loto-Québec presented a cheque using a life-size robot in order to maintain physical distancing. Thanks to its partnership with the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) and Centech, which aims to support innovation in Québec, Loto-Québec had the pleasure of using a robot named SARA, which was designed, developed and controlled by the ÉTS’s Walking Machine student club.    

Highlights

• Guylaine typically buys her lottery tickets at her workplace. A Lotto 6/49 regular, she has been playing the same combination at every draw for over 25 years.
• It took her several days to check the one she had bought for the July 1 Lotto 6/49 draw.
• The winner was gobsmacked when she saw the sum of $6,000,000 pop up on the terminal screen. “Wait, let me go get my glasses!” she exclaimed at the time. She wanted to be sure that she’d read it right.
• She wasted no time in sharing the good news with her loved ones, including her two sons whom she plans on spoiling with her windfall.
• The Laurentides resident says she wants to buy herself a three-wheel motorcycle and go on several trips once circumstances allow.

The press briefing was streamed live on Facebook:

Lotto 6/49: Festive prize payments are back!

COVID-19: How to claim your prize

As part of the collective effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, and to protect the health of its customers and employees, Loto-Québec has temporarily suspended in-person prize claims at its prize claim offices. Winners of prizes of $25,000 or more who have a physical lottery ticket should contact Loto-Québec’s customer service team.

Please note: Owners of physical lottery tickets with an expiry date between March 17 and September 17, 2020, inclusively who’ve won a prize will have an additional six months to claim it. Loto-Québec is advising them to hold on to their ticket(s); they’ll be able to claim their prize when things get back to normal. The payment terms for prizes won on lotoquebec.com remain the same.

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. Between January 1 and July 20, 2020, Loto-Québec paid out 54 prizes of $1,000,000 or more and turned 59 people into millionaires. The Gagnant à vie and Grande Vie lotteries have provided 7 lucky winners with a lifetime annuity. Major prize winners are listed on the Winners page of the Lotteries website.