By Natasha Baldin/Contributor
Lahsen Rezrazi and Debbie Ramsay want a home on the ocean and to help family after winning a whopping $35 million from the June 6, 2023 Lotto Max draw.
The winning ticket matched all seven numbers, along with a ticket purchased in Ontario, to split the $70-million jackpot.
The B.C. Lottery Corporation unveiled Lahsen Rezrazi and Debbie Ramsay as the Lotto Max jackpot winners from the June 6 draw in a Facebook livestream Friday (June 16).
The couple said they are frequent and long-time lottery players and buy tickets two times per week. When Rezrazi went into Save-on-Foods on June 14 to buy milk and cream, he decided to check his lottery tickets.
It was just another day when his first two tickets won $10 and a free play. When he scanned the third ticket, he found out he won the jackpot.
“I went out to my car and started crying,” Rezrazi said. “I called my wife and I said to her, ‘you need to stop working.’”
Ramsay didn’t immediately believe him.
“I thought something bad had happened,” said Ramsay. “It took everything in me not to scream, and I even went back to the store [where the winning ticket was purchased] to scan the ticket. I also downloaded [BCLC’s Lotto App!] to check as well!”
Ramsay will be retiring following the big jackpot win, but Rezrazi said he will be returning to work on Monday.
The couple said they will be celebrating their upcoming wedding anniversary in style with a trip to Venice. They also plan on sharing the money with family, buying an oceanside home and travelling around the country in a new Mercedes camper van.
“We’re going to go surprise relatives at the door to give them money,” said Ramsay. “Helping family is the biggest thing for us, and we can’t wait to see their faces!”
There are a lot of emotions swirling for Rezrazi and Ramsay, as they have a lot to celebrate, including their upcoming wedding anniversary. However, they do agree on one thing that Rezrazi mentioned: “It’s a lot of money!”
The Victoria couple purchased the winning ticket at Quality Foods in View Royal.
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