Retired Quebec physical-education teacher Bernard Morissette bought a Lotto Max ticket online shortly before the September 17, 2024, draw and won C$40 million. His ticket shared a record C$80-million jackpot with another winning ticket sold in Ontario.
The purchase nearly did not happen
Morissette, who was in his eighties, remembered around 9 p.m. that he had not entered the draw. He used the same number combination he had played for years, including dates connected with his grandchildren’s birthdays.
The familiar numbers made a human story but did not improve the mathematical odds.
Loto-Québec confirmed the prize
An employee contacted him the next day, and he checked the result on his computer with his wife, Rachel. He later travelled to Montreal to receive the C$40-million cheque and speak publicly.
Official verification is essential before a winner acts on an app or email notification.
The jackpot was divided equally
Two tickets matched the winning combination, so each received half of the advertised C$80 million. The Ontario winner had not been publicly announced when the original report was published.
Jackpot-sharing rules are set in advance and do not reduce a ticket’s validity.
Family was central to his plans
Morissette said he wanted to support his three children and their futures. His son Martin said the scale of the money was difficult to comprehend and left his construction job after his father said he could retire.
Large gifts can carry legal, relationship and planning consequences even when motivated by generosity.
He also considered personal experiences
The former teacher mentioned an electric car and travel to watch professional soccer in Italy. Taking time before major purchases can help a winner adjust and compare long-term options.
Lottery corporations commonly offer claim support, but independent legal and financial advice remains valuable.
Privacy and security deserve attention
Public winner requirements can attract requests, scams and unwanted attention. Changing contact practices, strengthening account security and setting a process for solicitations can protect the household.
Winners should verify advisers’ credentials and understand every fee before transferring funds.
The event did not change lottery odds
A last-minute purchase, personal numbers and years of play are memorable coincidences, not a strategy. Each valid number combination has the same chance in a draw, and previous losses do not make a future win due.
People should treat tickets as entertainment within a fixed budget, never as financial planning.
A windfall requires ordinary discipline
Securely holding the ticket or account, confirming the claim, paying high-interest debt, setting goals and diversifying assets are more useful than rushed investment promises. Canadian lottery prizes are generally not taxed as income, but investment earnings and cross-border issues can be taxable.
Morissette’s extraordinary result was genuine, yet it remained extraordinary. The responsible takeaway is his verified win and family plans—not an implication that persistence or lucky dates can make a jackpot likely.
Anyone concerned about problematic gambling can use confidential provincial self-exclusion and support services rather than chasing mounting losses after reading a winner’s story.
