Press release

Montréal, July 4, 2024 — Réal Cloutier, from Lanaudière, won $1,000,000 in the May 17 draw with a Québec Max play he had added to his Lotto Max ticket. The winner purchased his ticket at a Saint-Michel-des-Saints gas station. He was thrilled when he received his prize at the Loto-Québec office. Cloutier told us he slept with his wallet—and the winning ticket—deep in the pocket of his pyjama pants for 11 days!

Highlights

• Réal Cloutier found out he was a millionaire when the attendant who had validated his ticket told him. “Honestly, I thought they were pranking me,” he said.
• Cloutier first shared the great news with his brother, who said, “Stop thinking about everyone else. Take care of yourself!”
• The 70-year-old was very emotional at the Loto-Québec Winners’ Lounge. He even shed a few happy tears when he realized his stroke of luck was real. “I think I’m actually just reacting now,” the winner confided.
• The new millionaire plans to use his windfall to improve his quality of life and get a hearing aid. He admitted with emotion that this would give him the chance to reconnect with his family.

The winning ticket was purchased at the Garage S. Hébert in Saint-Michel-des-Saints. The retailer will receive a 1% commission of $10,000.

About Loto-Québec

Loto-Québec has been delivering entertainment to Quebecers for over 50 years, and its operations benefit Québec as a whole. In 2023, it paid out over $1.6 billion in prizes to lottery winners. Major prize winners are listed on the Winners page in the Lotteries section of lotoquebec.com. Read their stories.

The responsible commercialization of lottery and gaming products is central to Loto-Québec’s operations. The corporation has been granted the highest internationally recognized certification in responsible gaming by the World Lottery Association.