5 Ottawa area men picked up their $60M lottery winnings

Five men who have been playing the lottery as a group for over 10-years have picked up their $60 million LOTTO MAX cheque.

“We’ve always been travellers and adventure seekers but this win makes almost anything possible. It’s not just that we can travel more – it’s that we can travel anywhere in the world!” smiled Christopher, one of the members of a group of five winners from the Ottawa area, who won the $60 million LOTTO MAX jackpot from the July 13, 2018 draw.

The five men who won the jackpot in the July 13 draw are all IT professionals, working for the federal government.

Bryan Redman of Ottawa, Christopher Beazley of Carleton Place, Gilles Dionne of Gatineau, Norman MacDonald of Gatineau, and Stephane Dionne of Embrun will split the prize five ways.

Four of them work for Payments Canada, one works for Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

The five take turns purchasing their ticket each week. The play LOTTO MAX and LOTTO 6/49. The members of the group of friends will sometimes choose their own numbers, other times they buy a quick pick ticket.

The winning ticket was a quick pick play.

Depending on who’s turn it is, they purchase their ticket in Ontario and other times in nearby Quebec, according to a statement released by OLG.

“It was my week to purchase a ticket. I almost forgot but remembered to pick one up last Friday when I was nearly out of gas,” explained Bryan.

Adding, “I checked our ticket the next morning on the OLG Lottery App and was stunned when I saw ‘$60,000,000’ on the screen. I scanned it again immediately because I just couldn’t believe it.” 

Bryan then drove to the closest lottery retailer and checked his ticket in store. “When the prize amount was confirmed, I knew it was time to spread the news to the group. I got back in my car, locked the door and started dialing numbers, crying and shaking – but no one was answering their phones!” he laughed.

Bryan finally reached group member Gilles, “I was half asleep when I answered the phone and all I heard was Bryan raving ‘We did it! We did it!’ When I realized he was saying that we won the lottery, I couldn’t believe him!”

The group then decided to go to the OLG terminal together to scan their ticket together. 

“We decided to meet that evening and validate the ticket together. When the lottery terminal shut down, that’s when it all started to feel real,” said Dionne.

They were in Toronto on Thursday to claim their winnings.

The five will each get $12 million.

OLG said the winning ticket was purchased from Mr. Gas on Innes Rd., in Orleans.

In a Facebook live video the quintuplet say they don't plan on quitting their jobs. 

“We are still going to be working,” said Norm, “I can’t quit. I have to stay busy. It will be the same for the rest of us.”