Michele Zaharia and Mark Langton are celebrating their decision to say ‘Yes’ to the Extra — and each other — after winning $500,000 playing Lotto Max.
The lucky Lake Cowichan players matched all four Extra numbers in the December 31, 2019 Lotto Max draw, giving them several more reasons to celebrate when they say ‘Yes’ to each other at their upcoming summer wedding.
Michele, who purchased the ticket at the Duncan Walmart, was getting a new phone when she decided to check her ticket results on the BCLC Lotto! App.
“My volume was turned off and [Mark and I] checked it three or four times,” said Michele, who took a screen capture of the winning-ticket message for a keepsake.
“Shock is the best way to describe it.” Mark had to travel for work shortly after the draw, so the couple have had some time to digest its big win. Top of the bucket list items are paying down the mortgage, buying a wedding dress and perhaps retiring a few years earlier than expected.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Mark said. “You don’t’ believe what you’re seeing is real.”
“But, it’s getting more real every minute,” Michele added from BCLC’s Vancouver prize-claim office.