Five co-workers from the GTA have Lunar New Year traditions to thank for their $60 million Lotto Max jackpot win.
Trang Pham of Mississauga, Suong Tran of Mississauga, Phong Phan of Brampton, Thuc Le of Toronto, and Zou Hsieh of Scarborough are celebrating their win and explaining how the winning ticket was purchased.
In many Asian cultures, the Lunar New Year is a significant celebration, symbolizing family, good fortune, health, and prosperity for the year ahead. To embrace this tradition, group leader Pham suggested to her co-workers at a local construction company that they purchase a ticket for the Jan. 21, 2025, Lotto Max draw.
“About a week before Lunar New Year, I was buying creamer for the office and thought I’d pick up a ticket for the group,” Pham said in an interview with the OLG.
“I saw in the news that the $60 million Lotto Max winning ticket had been sold in Etobicoke, so I checked ours right away. I reviewed the numbers myself and saw that one of the lines matched exactly. I couldn’t believe it, so I checked the ticket again, this time on the OLG app.
“When I saw $60 million on the screen, I was in total shock. I took a screenshot and sent it to the group chat right away,” Pham said.
Pham said her phone started “blowing up” with calls and texts from her five group members, each of whom would receive $12 million from the winnings.
“I was in a parking lot at work when the text came in. I thought Trang was teasing us, so I called her,” said Tran. “When she confirmed it wasn’t a joke, I started shaking and crying tears of joy.”
Phan added that he had to check the numbers himself, and once he realized they were winners, he admitted that “it was hard to act normal that day.”
Phong informed his fellow group members, Hsieh and Le, who were not in the group chat. Both said they were shocked and struggled to eat or sleep for days after hearing the news.
What the group plans to do with the winnings
Pham says she dreams of homeownership and giving back.
“Buying a home has been my goal since my parents moved to Canada. They sacrificed so much for me, and now it’s my turn to take care of them. I also want to invest wisely and explore philanthropy,” she explained.
Phan, though not ready for retirement, plans to take a break.
“I’ve always wanted to travel, and this gives me the chance. I also hope to start my own business, so I have a lot to figure out—hopefully while exploring new places.”
For Hsieh, the decision was immediate—he’s retiring.
“Last year, I worried about when I could retire, but now I don’t have to. I’m eager to travel the world, and one of my biggest dreams is to witness the Northern Lights,” he noted.
Le’s focus, meanwhile, is family.
“My first priority is buying a house for my mother. I’ll share my winnings with my loved ones and also treat myself to a new car.”
Finally, Tran says she is taking time to reflect.
“There are many causes close to my heart that I’d like to support. I want to carefully consider my options before making any big decisions.”
The group purchased their winning Lotto Max ticket at Giant Tiger in Etobicoke.
OLG says Tuesday night’s Lotto Max draw offers a $60 million jackpot with an estimated six maxmillions prizes, each worth $1 million.
