A Langley, B.C., man has learned it's better late than never after checking his lottery ticket nearly one year after purchasing it.
Bounxong Sirimangkone bought the Lotto Max ticket as a way to celebrate Canada Day in 2021. But he didn't realize that he was sitting on a $500,000 ticket until he checked the B.C. Lottery Corporation app at home just before Canada Day this year.
"I couldn't believe I won, it was so exciting," said Sirimangkone in a news release.
Sirimangkone purchased the winning ticket at the Circle K on 88 Avenue in Langley. He plans on using his winnings to travel and study.
But Sirimangkone might have been out of luck, had he waited much longer to check his ticket.
According to the BCLC, lottery winners have 52 weeks to claim their prize before the ticket expires.
Earlier this month, the BCLC said another lottery ticket remains unclaimed in B.C., and it's nearing its expiration date.
"Where were you last August?" the BCLC asked in a news release at the time. "Be sure to check your beach bags, suitcases, glove boxes or anywhere else for a winning $15 million Lotto Max ticket."
The specific location where the ticket was sold will only be announced after the winner is identified.
That ticket will expire at midnight on Aug. 13, 2022 if no one comes forward.
According to the BCLC website, unclaimed prize money from national draws such as Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 is "returned to players through future bonus games or promotions."
Unclaimed money from games only offered in B.C. is "accounted for annually as part of BCLC's net income and provided to the provincial government to benefit the people of British Columbia."
The odds of winning a Lotto Max jackpot, which requires matching all seven numbers without using the bonus number, are said to be about one in 33.3 million.
So far in 2022, B.C. lotto players have redeemed more than $64 million from Lotto Max.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Andrew Weichel.
