Mark and Colleen Wihlidal were buzzing upon discovering that they won a $500,000 Extra Prize from the August 3, 2024 Lotto 6/49 draw — and it wasn’t from the coffee they were drinking.
“I drink a lot of coffee and I could feel the shock coming on,” Mark said of his initial reaction to the couples win. “It’s a good thing I was sitting down. Shock and coffee should not go together.”
Mark was at home enjoying a cup of coffee when he discovered their win after checking the ticket on BCLC’s Lotto! App. He immediately shared the news with Colleen.
“I thought he was joking when he showed me the winning ticket,” recalled Colleen. “I thought, ‘oh my gosh!’ It’s so exciting and surreal.”
The Wihlidals look forward to putting a portion of their prize towards some home improvements and will partake in “a little more traveling.” They also plan to gift some to their kids and are excited for a “very comfortable retirement.”
The Kamloops residents purchased the winning ticket from the Safeway on Fortune Drive in Kamloops.
So far in 2024, B.C. lottery players redeemed more than $32 million in winnings from the Extra and more than $121 million in winnings from Lotto 6/49. Say ‘Yes’ to the Extra for the chance to win up to $500,000. The Extra is available with Daily Grand, Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, and BC/49 at any BCLC lottery retailer or at PlayNow.com.
BCLC offers socially responsible gambling entertainment while generating income to benefit all British Columbians. Remember, play for fun, not to make money. For more information, visit GameSense.com.
