A group of four friends from Calgary claimed the historic $90 million Lotto Max jackpot after deciding to buy the ticket in a text message group chat called “Manifesting Millions.”
Last month’s draw was the largest lottery prize awarded in Canadian history. It was won by Eidelson Elchico, Hazeline Ong, Velna Ramirez and Lovelyn Malvar.
Elchico said he found out around 3 a.m. the day after the late-October draw, when he awoke and sat up.
“(I was) planning to go downstairs to get some water,” the father of two said. “I grabbed my phone and was just scrolling down my email and I saw the winning (notification).”
He and his friends bought the ticket on Play Alberta, which notifies winners electronically.
“I actually did not count the numbers because it’s hard to count, for me, at 3 a.m. So, I thought it was only $9,000 (or) $900, but I woke up my wife and double-checked, and she told me to open the website,” Elchico said at a news conference with all four winners.
“It was true: $90 million was on hold, and we needed to call our friends. So, at 3 a.m., they didn’t wake up easily, obviously, but suddenly they started to wake up. One by one. And nobody could believe it, even me.”
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The group has known each other for more than five years after meeting through their families, Malvar said.
She told reporters they decided to make the purchase at the beginning of October in a group chat called “Manifesting Millions” that was created when they heard the prize value, which was climbing after several unclaimed jackpots.
“It’s pretty overwhelming. It’s nerve-wracking. It took a week for (it) to actually sink in,” Malvar said. “You just feel shocked. It’s not something you would expect. Not in a million years.”
“When I saw the email I (was) like ‘we definitely got scammed.’”
Divided equally four ways, the $90 million will amount to $22.5 million per person.
None of the winners know how they will spend the money on themselves outside of using it to support their families. The group noted that they will donate part of their $90 million winnings to benefit the community.
Elchico said he feels a calling to use the money to do good.
“There’s a lot of people that need help. So, for me, this is the way,” he said.
All four of the winners are still working, they said, explaining that they need the distraction while the news, and sudden influx of cash, settles. Outside of their respective spouses, the group said nobody in their lives knew they are now millionaires.
They acknowledged that this fact may change after Friday’s announcement.
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