CHARLOTTETOWN (P.E.I.) – The town of Montague, P.E.I. has been abuzz for the last month wondering who won the $1-million Lotto 6/49 Guaranteed Prize from the Aug. 20 draw. Four weeks later, Gladstone Higginbotham of Murray River finally came forward to claim his big prize.

“My wife was in disbelief,” Higginbotham said. “After playing for 40 some years, I was always hoping I’d win.”

Given Higginbotham’s proximity to Montague, his daughter alerted him and his wife Lyn of their potential win when she shared a social media post about it.

“My daughter sent me a link that said someone in Montague had won $1 million,” Lyn said. “I asked him where he bought his tickets and he said Montague, so that’s when he checked.”

Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday. Prior to the recent relaunch of the game, each draw offered a Guaranteed Prize draw for $1 million in addition to the main jackpot. The new Lotto 6/49 still guarantees a winning ticket every Wednesday and Saturday thanks to the Gold Ball draw where the winner will take home either $1 million, or the growing Gold Ball jackpot that starts at $10 million and can grow higher than $60 million.

The couple said it will take some time for the win to really sink in before they know how they’ll spend the prize money, but their first priority is to pay off all their bills. The winnings will also help the couple cross two trips off their bucket list: visiting Toronto for a Blue Jays game and Montreal for a Montreal Canadiens game.

Both Higginbotham and his wife will continue to work, but celebrated their big win with a weekend away and quality time with their grandchildren.

Higginbotham purchased his winning Lotto 6/49 ticket at Esso in Montague, P.E.I. The retailer will receive a one per cent seller’s prize.

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Media contact:
Lindsay Meekins
Atlantic Lottery Public Relations Strategist
506-867-5800 ext. 5840
lindsay.meekins@alc.ca

Backgrounder: About Lotto 6/49

• Lotto 6/49 holds draws every Wednesday and Saturday with two multi-million jackpots available to be won.
  
  
• Each $3 ticket includes one Classic Draw selection of six numbers players can choose or use Insta Pik to have the numbers selected for them, and a 10-digit computer generated Gold Ball Draw number.
  
  
• The Classic Jackpot is always set at $5 million.
  
  
• The Gold Ball Jackpot starts at $10 million and can grow past $60 million.
  
  
• The Gold Ball draw guarantees a winning ticket on every draw. The winner of the Gold Ball draw will take home either $1 million, or the growing Gold Ball jackpot.
  
  
• For $1 each, players can add TAG and Atlantic 49. These add-on games give you additional chances to win and are only available in Atlantic Canada.