‘Not Just Dreaming Anymore:’ Manitoba Family Shares $60M Lotto Max Jackpot

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John Chua (left to right), his wife Jhoana Chua, his mother Angie Chua, and his uncle Ben Lagman celebrate their lottery win in a handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS-HO-Western Canadian Lottery Corporation

John Chua admits he was jealous when his wife woke him up on Jan. 23 to tell him someone in Winnipeg had won a $60-million Lotto Max jackpot.

Later that day, Chua received an email from the online site where he buys tickets telling him he’d won.

He says he thought it was maybe a free play, but it turned out to be the entire windfall — the largest lottery jackpot ever awarded in Manitoba.

Chua is sharing the winnings with his wife, Jhoana, mother Angie Chua and uncle Ben Lagman.

 

His mother says she didn’t believe him when he first told her of the win because he always plays jokes.

But she says that changed when the family was filling out the paperwork to claim the prize.

“Now we’re not just dreaming any more.”

The Chuas plan to take their time deciding what to do with their new wealth.

“It’s a huge blessing,” Angie Chua said in a release Tuesday. “We just needed a little bit and we got a lot.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2021

The Canadian Press

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