Two more Vancouver Island residents are starting 2026 with a major reason to celebrate after winning big in separate lottery draws just days apart.
A Victoria resident is $500,000 richer after hitting a Maxmillion prize in the December 26th Lotto Max draw.
Jeffrey B. said the moment he realized he had won is one he won’t soon forget.
“I was in the mall and the self-scanner flashed $500,000,” he recalled. “I was motionless and I stuffed that ticket in my pocket and walked around the mall. It took me a while to come to the realization I had won.”
Jeffrey, who split the Maxmillion prize with another player in Ontario, said he hadn’t told anyone about the win at the time of his prize claim. He plans to celebrate by treating his friends to dinner and may put some of the money toward new skiing gear.
“It feels great,” he said. “A bit of disbelief.”
The winning ticket was purchased at Walmart in Hillside Mall in Victoria. This is the second winning lotto ticket the store has sold recently.
Just one day later, another Vancouver Island resident had a similar shock after learning he had won $500,000.
Nanaimo resident Clifford S. won an Extra prize from the December 27th, Lotto 6/49 draw after his wife scanned the ticket on the BCLC Lotto! App.
“I thought she was kidding,” Clifford said. “I was walking home with the dog and found out as soon as I got back.”
After calling his sister to share the news, he said she also thought he was joking before realizing the win was real. Clifford plans to use the prize money to pay off his mortgage.
The winning ticket was purchased at a lotto kiosk at Nanaimo North Town Centre.
These two wins add to a growing list of recent lottery success stories on Vancouver Island.
In recent weeks, a Brentwood Bay man won $675,000 after receiving a “Set for Life” ticket from his dad, while a Coombs couple is ringing in 2026 after scoring a $500,000 Extra prize on a Lotto Max ticket.
According to British Columbia Lottery Corporation, BC lottery players redeemed hundreds of millions of dollars in prizes in 2025 across games including Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49, and Extra.
Tickets can be purchased at lottery retailers or online through PlayNow, with draws held multiple times each week.
