Deana McClelland was in complete disbelief upon discovering that she won a $1,000,000 prize from the September 13, 2025, Lotto 6/49 draw; so much so that she felt the need to check her ticket five different times before finally believing she won.
The Calgary resident purchased the ticket from Canal Flats Family Foods on Arbuckle Street in Canal Flats. She later discovered her win after scanning the winning ticket on BCLC’s Lotto! App.
“My first thought was, ‘No, there’s something wrong with the app,’” she recalled of the moment she realized she won. “I checked again then made my husband check on his phone. I even turned my phone off and checked it again when it restarted. I then drove to a Superstore to confirm it!”
Naturally, McClelland’s husband was the first person to find out about her win. She then shared the news with the couple’s son, who was at work when he received the call.
“His reaction was, ‘Are you kidding me? Are you for real?’ He was trying to keep his cool since he was at work. He called us back later and was so excited!”
McClelland has no immediate plans for her win as it came as “such a surprise” and is going to take her time to think about it.
On how it feels to be a millionaire?
“Dumbfounded, shocked and flabbergasted along with some nausea,” she chuckled.
So far in 2025, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $55 million in winnings from Lotto 6/49.
Lotto 6/49 is a nationwide lottery game drawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays after 7:30 p.m. (PST). The Gold Ball Draw is a guaranteed prize draw where players will win either the Guaranteed Prize of $1 million, or the growing Gold Ball Jackpot that starts at $10 million. The Classic Jackpot offers a prize that is always $5 million.
As B.C.’s only legal gambling website, PlayNow.com is the only site whose profits benefit British Columbians through investments in things like healthcare, education and community programs.
Players can visit PlayNow.com to learn how to set time and money limits. For more information on tools and resources to encourage healthy play, visit GameSense.com.
