Quesnel Man Claims 46 Million Dollar Lottery Jackpot

A resident of Quesnel, British Columbia, has claimed a $46 million Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball Jackpot after discovering that his ticket matched the winning draw from December 20, 2025. Richard Z., whose full name has not been released by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), completed his prize claim at the corporation's Kamloops office on October 16, 2026, nearly 10 months after the draw.

According to BCLC's October 20 announcement, Richard discovered the potential win while relaxing at home. He learned that a Gold Ball Jackpot ticket had been purchased in his hometown and checked his own ticket to determine whether he held the winning numbers.

Richard purchased the winning ticket in Quesnel at Billy Barker Casino. After checking the BCLC website, he realized that he had secured the $46 million prize, prompting an emotional reaction as he shared the news with his wife.

Richard described how he initially suspected that his ticket might be the winner but needed confirmation from the lottery corporation's website.

"I checked the BCLC website and had an inkling I may have the winning ticket." Richard said.

The confirmation made the scale of the win clear to him. He recalled the moment the website identified his ticket as the Gold Ball winner.

"When it said it was the Gold Ball, that's when the overwhelming feelings set in; knowing that out of everyone in Canada, I had the ticket that won $46 million." Richard said.

Richard also described the emotional response he and his wife experienced when he shared the news with her.

"At first, there were tears of joy. It was overwhelming!" Richard said.

The couple intends to use part of their newfound financial security to travel while avoiding major changes to their everyday lives. Richard said he hopes to visit Egypt's pyramids and enjoy trips without financial stress, while taking time to decide on future plans.

"My wife and I want to do some travelling, and I want to see the pyramids! We want to experience and enjoy stress-free trips." Richard said.

Despite the size of the award, Richard indicated that maintaining a familiar lifestyle remains a priority for the couple.

"We want to live the life we live now and still want to keep our lives simple." Richard said.

The Gold Ball feature of Lotto 6/49 awards either a guaranteed $1 million prize or a jackpot that begins at $10 million and increases when the Gold Ball is not selected, according to information published by BCLC and reported by CP24. The odds of winning either prize depend on the number of tickets sold.

CP24 reported that the classic Lotto 6/49 jackpot remains fixed at $5 million, with odds of approximately one in 14 million. BCLC also reported that players in British Columbia had claimed more than $135 million in Lotto 6/49 prizes during 2026 as of the October 20 announcement.

Separately, Dale N. of Langley, British Columbia, won a guaranteed $1 million prize in the September 30, 2026, Lotto 6/49 draw. According to Daily Hive, he used a sequence of numbers he had played for years, combined with numbers associated with family birthdays.

Dale said the prize was particularly meaningful because it would help him support his children's future expenses.

"It feels awesome, not because of the money, but because I can help my kids with future expenses," Dale said.