A Grande Prairie woman has at least a million new reasons to smile after winning the grand prize on a Western Canada Lottery Corporation scratch ticket.
Darlene Veinotte, who purchased the pack of “Set for Life” tickets from the Great Northern Casino, but didn’t scratch them until she got home. However, when three top prize symbols were revealed, she wasn’t home for long.
“I thought, ‘Oh, my!’ I couldn’t believe it!” she said. “I was already in my pyjamas, but I got dressed again to go back to the casino and double-check it,” she tells the WCLC. “My husband was working out of town, and I needed to be sure it was true before I called him.”
When the shock wore off and she had a choice between $1,000 a week for 25 years or a lump sum million dollar payment, she decided to cash out in one go. Veionette adds the money is an absolute life changer.
“We’ll be mortgage-free for the first time in 39 years, we’ll be debt-free, and I can help my kids. Those are all dreams come true.”