Press release

Montréal, September 14, 2026 – Gérard Babin, a resident of Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, won $1,000,000 in the July 24 Québec Max draw with a ticket purchased in Paspébiac. When he claimed his prize, this new millionaire recounted the memorable moments that followed the discovery of his win—from telling his wife the news that morning to his trip to the Loto-Québec head office in Montréal.

Highlights

• A two-part surprise: Gérard Babin checked his lottery tickets early the morning after the Québec Max draw using the Loto-Québec app. He first saw that he had won $200 at Banco, then realized that he was now a millionaire thanks to his Double Jeu Max ticket. “I won a million!” he shouted.
• A memorable wake-up call: Excited, he immediately woke up his spouse to share the good news. Still half-asleep, she thought he’d just won a free play. As she peered at his phone, she quickly realized that this early morning wake-up call was well worth it!
• A closely guarded ticket: The Gaspésie resident laughed as he explained that he’d kept his precious ticket close at hand throughout his entire trip to Montréal: “I carried it everywhere with me: on the road, at the hotel, at the restaurant... even to bed!”
• A prize to share with his loved ones: Babin plans to use his new fortune to spoil his son and grandchildren and to organize a memorable family trip.

The lucky ticket was purchased at the Couche-Tard convenience store located at 41 Route Gérard-D.-Levesque Ouest, in Paspébiac. The retailer will receive a 1% commission of $10,000.

About Loto-Québec

Loto-Québec has been delivering entertainment to the people of Québec for over 55 years, and its operations benefit Québec as a whole. Last year, the corporation awarded a record $1.9 billion in prizes to winners and crowned 111 millionaires across Québec. It also paid out over 20 lifetime annuities. Major prize winners are listed on the Winners page in the Lottery Games section of lotoquebec.com. Read all about their dreams.

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.