A Quebec Man Won $36 Million Playing Lotto 6/49 & Waited 3 Months Before Claiming His Prize

If you were told you'd just won $36,000,000, chances are you'd be running to collect your prize money. Well, that wasn't the case for Jean-Marc Poirier, who waited three months before claiming his millions.

The Lanaudière resident was the very first person to win the Golden Ball Jackpot, worth a whopping $36 million in the October 29, 2022, Lotto 6/49 draw. A lottery enthusiast, Poirier had a subscription to his favourite games on the Loto-Québec website, the company said. It's clear the newly minted multi-millionaire's determination paid off.

Though lottery officials contacted Poirier soon after his win, he said he wanted to, in the words of Loto-Québec, "let the dust settle" before sharing the news with relatives. But he told the company he kept teasing his children with jokes hinting at the possibility of coming into a fortune.

That apparently still didn't prepare them for the reveal. Loto-Québec said his children were incredulous when they finally found out.

Poirier finally claimed his $36 million Lotto 6/49 prize on February 9, 2023, and has already spent some of it.

Loto-Québec said that Poirier purchased a brand-new car and plans to travel, first to Costa Rica.

Despite his newfound wealth (only slightly diminished after that car and vacation), Poirier says he has no plans to abandon his usual hobbies, which include what Loto-Québec describes as a passion for mechanics.