Salmon Arm long-haul trucker scores $675,000 lotto win

A trucker from Salmon Arm had trouble believing he actually won a $675,000 lottery prize.

Murray Wallace – who describes himself as a prankster – thought he may have been the victim of a prank, according to a media release from the B.C. Lottery Corporation issued today, March 13.

“My first thought was, ‘Is this a joke?’” Wallace said in the release.

“I said, ‘where are the cameras?’ I thought someone had to be pranking me because I am a big prankster myself and prank all of my friends and family.”

But the Set for Life ticket he purchased at the BVD Truck Stop on Kokanee Way in Kamloops was in fact a winner. He found out when he check his ticket at Sutherland’s bakery in Enderby.

“I scanned it on the self-checker and then it began flashing ‘winner’ so I started freaking out,” Wallace said. “At that point, people started gathering around and I wasn’t sure how much I’d won yet.”

After the winnings had been summed up, the first person to find out was his wife.

“She thought it was another one of my pranks and even hung the phone up on me twice. Then, she came inside the store and once she saw my face she believed me and we just hugged. It was amazing.”

Wallace, who was born in Scotland, will spend some of his winnings on a trip to his native country to visit family. As well, his friends and family are getting invited to a big pig roast to celebrate his luck.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Dan Walton or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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Dan Walton

Before joining the ranks of InfoTel, Dan’s byline could be found in newspapers in Penticton, Peachland and Oliver. Prior to his arrival in the South Okanagan, he first sharpened his chops as a reporter at a radio station in Brighton, Ontario, and then newspapers in Tisdale, Saskatchewan, and Invermere B.C.
From quilting competitions to crimes against humanity, Dan isn’t afraid to cover any topic. Always seeking out the best angles - whether it’s through the lens of his camera or the voices of his Interviews – he delves into the conflict and seeks out the humanity in every story worth telling.
Dan is always happy to hear from readers. To get in touch for any reason he can be contacted at (250) 488-3065 or dwalton@infonews.ca.