Evert Austria carried around a winning lottery ticket for five months before checking it. (submitted/SaskLotteries)

By Susan McNeil

Lotto winner

‘I feel like a million bucks!’: P.A. LOTTO winner carried winning ticket for five months

Oct 3, 2024 | 4:08 PM

Having two wallets led to a Prince Albert resident not knowing he had won $1 million in the LOTTO MAX for five months.

Evert Austria bought the ticket for the May 21 draw but didn’t get around to checking it until October because he wasn’t using the wallet the ticket was in.

“I had the second wallet at the Co-op when I thought I should check a bunch of tickets to lighten the load since I was waiting,” Austria explained.

He called his mom, excited that he could fulfil a promise to his father.

“My dad passed away recently, and I had promised I would take care of her and my siblings. Now I can do that.”

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Austria said his family has everything they need so one priority for at least some of the money is to donate to the hospital that delivered his children, and it was important to honour his promise to his father.

“It was my last promise to him, and now I’m not thinking about what I’m going to buy myself,” he added. “I told my wife, ‘We have everything we need; it’s going to help my family.’ I want to give back to the hospital that delivered my kids too.”

The day before he checked the winning ticket – which he bought at the Real Canadian Superstore – he wasn’t feeling well and had stayed home.

The next day, his boss called to see how he was feeling and there was one obvious reply: “I feel like a million bucks!”, he recalled telling his employer.

At first, he thought he won $100,000 and was pretty happy about that.

“It was much more than that. We will make it grow and help other people along the way. It’s a chance to carry on my father’s legacy,” said Austria.

He won the MAXMILLIONS prize by correctly matching one of the 10 extra sets of numbers.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com