Albertan checks 6-month-old lotto ticket in her purse after having no luck at the casino — ends up winning $100K jackpot with Western 649’s Extra
Dolores Brigan now has plans to spoil her kids with a big surprise, even if it is six months late.
Dolores Brigan of Rocky View, Alta., was at the casino when she decided to finally check a Western 649 lotto ticket that had been sitting in her purse for over six months. It turned out to be the stroke of luck she needed that day, as the ticket secured her $100,000 with Extra as part of the Jan. 6, 2024 draw.
“I was at the casino, and I hadn’t won anything so I thought I would just check all the tickets in my purse,” said Brigan, while claiming her prize.
The Albertan has a habit of buying lottery tickets and waiting to check them, sometimes nearing the one-year prize claim deadline. This time, after scanning the ticket twice herself, she handed it to the cashier for confirmation.
The machine flashed “Winner” on the screen. Brigan’s first call was to her husband.
“I told him to come to the casino,” said Brigan. “The staff had already started celebrating us and brought us glasses of wine!”
The casino quickly turned into a celebration as the reality of the win sank in for Brigan.
“I was a total wreck,” she said. “I just couldn’t believe it!”
After the initial shock, Brigan started planning how she would use her winnings, starting with a surprise for her kids.
“I plan on giving my kids a present over dinner,” she said. “It’ll be so nice to surprise them!”
The thrill of having an extra $100,000 in her bank account is still surreal for Brigan. She purchased her winning Western 649 ticket (and added Extra to it for $1) from Shoppers Drug Mart at 1200 Market Street in Airdrie, Alta. Her win came from matching the last six numbers — 6259155 —selected in the Jan. 6 Extra draw.
Western 649 and other games like Atlantic 49, Ontario 49, BC 49, and Quebec 49 follow a similar lottery format in their respective regions. Although they share the same basic structure, each is operated independently by its provincial lottery corporation. Western 649 covers Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Canada’s three territories.
To play, choose six numbers from 1 to 49 on your ticket. You can pick your own numbers or opt for a randomly generated set. Match your numbers with the biweekly draw to win prizes based on how many numbers you match, with draws every Wednesday and Saturday. Matching all six numbers in exact order wins the million-dollar prize.
Adding Extra to your ticket for $1, as Brigan did, gives you another chance at winning prizes from $2 to $250,000. It provides players with an auto-generated seven-digit number, with Extra draws taking place everyday.
Tools to stop gambling
If you're looking to take a break from gambling, self-exclusion programs can be effective tools. See here for resources that are available across Canada.
