'Life-changing': Victoria couple plans to buy homes after $500K lottery win

Seabata and Emma Makhakhe are pictured. (B.C. Lottery Corporation)

A Victoria couple says a new home and seed money for their children's education are in the works after the pair won a $500,000 lottery prize.

Seabata and Emma Makhakhe won the Jan. 7 Lotto Max Extra draw, but didn't learn of their prize until later.

"It said $500,000 and I stopped and thought, 'Wait,'" Seabata said in a statement to the B.C. Lottery Corporation.

"I had never been so confused with numbers and had to google what $500,000 actually looked like to make sure it corresponded," he said. "Once it hit me, I started screaming, 'We won!'"

The couple now plans to use the money to purchase a home for themselves in South Africa, as well as another home for Seabata’s mother in the neighbouring country of Lesotho.

"We have dreamed about our kids’ education and always wanted to buy Seabata’s mom a house in Lesotho along with a small place for us in Cape Town," said Emma.

"This is a life-changing amount of money for us," she added. "We aren’t sure how it’s going to change our life, but we know it will."

The couple says they celebrated their win with a bottle of champagne, and the money will help give them peace of mind about their children's futures.

"We can relax and do all of the things we weren’t able to do before," said Seabata.