Summerland woman scores $1 million lottery win

A lucky Summerland resident is $1 million richer after choosing the correct numbers in a recent Lotto 6/49 draw.

Anne Schmiedel is still in disbelief after her free play for the Lotto 6/49 draw on Dec. 15, 2021, resulted in her winning the $1-million guaranteed prize.

“I got a free play from my (previous) ticket, and that free play was what actually won the million,” she said, in a B.C. Lottery Corporation news release. “I wasn’t sure if it was real or not. My husband and I told one group of friends and they thought we were joking.”

Schmiedel purchased her ticket online and was with her husband at home when she checked her email and found out she had won.

“I was in my living room, and I saw in my email that I won a prize. I thought ‘OK, it’s probably one dollar.’ I showed my husband and we were checking the numbers,” Schmiedel said. “He said ‘no, those aren’t your numbers,’ but then he figured out the guaranteed prize and ours matched.”

She plans on sharing some of her winnings with family, donating some to charity and saving for retirement.

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