$55 million Lotto Max Winners “officially retired.”

It’s taken a quarter-of-a-century but Laurene Shail and Doltan Hawk are finally celebrating a big lottery win. The Canadians won the $55 million jackpot in the June 14 Lotto Max draw and their working days are over.

When being presented with their cheque, the lucky winners from Ontario said that they are now “officially retired. “

Shaking

Recalling when the Lotto Max jackpot win was discovered, Shail joked that she had “one foot in the shower” when Doltan began shouting.

What was up? “He was shaking from head to toe,” she recalled.  A recent $70 million Lotto Max fell off his chair  when finding out he’d won.

Asking if he was ok, she was asked to check their Lotto Max ticket but thought Doltan was playing a prank.

Then she put her glasses on and couldn’t believe what was being seen. “This can’t be real! This can’t be happening to us,” thought Laurene.

The couple went to a local store to have their ticket checked. The lottery terminal froze and even the store clerk was shaking.  

Wasn’t a dream

Only when speaking to lottery officials did “reality” begin to set in. When receiving their cheque, Doltan told his wife: “It's in my bank. I told you it wasn't a dream,"

Plans for their Lotto Max win include buying a new home, travel to Italy and Australia  and also a fishing boat. Above anything though, they want to look after their family.

Speaking about their Lotto Max win, Laurene Shail said: “We want them to feel the joy with us.”  To make ends meet their family members have had to have several jobs.

Those days are over though and Laurene is looking forward to being able to spend more time as possible. Christmas will see them with their children and grandchildren.

Perhaps if they continue to play the Lotto Max draw, another jackpot will be won. From September 10, the maximum jackpot will be increased to $80 million.

Information about the change says that that is “an amount no Canadian lottery has ever reached before.”

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