Catherine Reimer was on the road back to Port Alberni from Victoria when her trip took an unforgettable turn when she found out she’d just won half a million dollars.
“I checked the ticket and I don’t think you can share the words that I said,” Reimer laughed. “Then I just screamed, ‘I won the lottery!’”
According to BCLC, she had purchased a Lotto 6/49 ticket with the Extra for the April 26th draw, and thanks to that little add-on, she scored a $500,000 win. The ticket was bought at the Petro Canada on East Island Highway in Nanoose Bay.
Reimer first told her kids, then called her husband to break the news, but he didn’t believe her until he heard the excitement in the background.
“It took my kids screaming in the background for him to believe me!” she said.
Reimer used the BCLC Lotto! App to check her ticket, but still dropped into a retailer to double-check the win, just to be sure. Since then, she’s been celebrating with family and taking time to think about how she wants to spend the winnings.
When asked how does it feel to become an instant half-millionaire?
“It feels surreal. Just right now, surreal,” said Reimer.
So far this year, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $15 million in Extra prizes and $21 million from Lotto 6/49. Draws happen every Wednesday and Saturday evening.
