Quebec man finds his winning lottery ticket just 12 days before it was set to expire
One Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Que. resident went down to the wire to claim his $50,000 jackpot through the Célébration 2023 game.
Marc Lauzon, a resident of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Que., won a $50,000 prize with Célébration 2023 after rediscovering a lottery ticket just in time.
With just 12 days left until the deadline, the lucky winner found the ticket he had lost after hiding it somewhere in his books.
He had received the ticket as a Christmas gift in 2022 for the January 8, 2023 draw. Lauzon discovered his win, and decided to put the winning ticket in a book, planning to claim his prize later. But, as the deadline approached, the ticket mysteriously disappeared and Lauzon could no longer find which book he had tucked his ticket into.
As time kept ticking, the deadline was fast approaching. Luzon searched for several months before he finally got a hold of the biography book in which he had hidden his winning ticket.
His lucky find came just 12 days before the January 8, 2024 deadline — a reminder that lottery winners have one year from the draw date to claim their winnings. Now, with extra cash in hand, Lauzon plans to invest in his future.
Célébration 2023 tickets, which cost $25, were sold exclusively in Québec. Consumers were able to purchase a ticket from any of the 8,000 retailers across the province.
Although Célébration 2023 has now passed, Loto-Quebec is waiting for winners to claim their Célébration 2024 prizes. With the same rules and price as last year, Célébration 2024 tickets were on sale from Oct. 30, 2023 to Jan. 3, 2024.
For holders of Célébration 2024 tickets, there’s a chance to win big. Make sure to check your tickets online at lotoquebec.com or through the Quebec Lotteries mobile app for the opportunity to claim a prize.
To play Célébration 2024, players scratch their ticket to match three prizes instantly or find a “Participation Télé (TV Participation)” for a chance to win $1,000 and a chance to participate in a draw for up to $1 million.
Ticket holders can also uncover codes for trips, a Mercedes-Benz, or cash prizes.
For those that have missed their chance to purchase a Célébration 2024 ticket, not to worry. Loto-Quebec offers this exciting game on an annual basis, so you can always shoot your shot next year.
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