The lucky Calgary man who won a record-breaking $65 million lottery jackpot playing Lotto Max in October has stepped forward to claim his prize, allowing his identity to be revealed.
Tai Trinh, 63, is a regular lottery player who probably never expected that he would land the mammoth prize.
Mr Trinh, a Vietnamese immigrant who arrived in Canada in 1980 after fleeing his war-torn homeland, would stop at the same Shell store every day for a coffee and a new Lotto Max or Lotto 6/49 ticket.
On that fateful day, he purchased a $6 quick pick ticket from the Country Hills Shell, located at 1000-388 Country Hills Boulevard NE in Calgary. The winning numbers on the 4th October draw were 20, 31, 35, 36, 39, 42, and 44.
When the draw was announced, Mr Trinh checked and double checked again, but kept calm, even after he realized that he really was the recipient of the $65 million prize.
“You know, when you buy a ticket, you have to hope that you will win,” he explained to WCLC. “So, I just thought, ‘Okay. This is okay.’”
Asked about what he planned to do with the money, Mr Trinh replied with his modest plans.
“I’ll put the money in the bank for now, but it will definitely help make life easier.”
The Prairies and Territories can count themselves among the luckiest regions in Canada – Mr Trinh is the 200th winner from Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta to be made a millionaire by Lotto Max in the 10 years that the game has been running. His win is the largest ever in Alberta.