It’s the largest lottery prize ever awarded in Atlantic Canadian history.

Merel Chiasson of Bas-Caraquet, N.B.  picked up his cheque for $64 million on Thursday morning at Atlantic Lottery headquarters in Moncton.

That ticket was set to expire in just 19 days.

Image: Acadia Broadcasting

The winning ticket has been sitting on Chiasson’s bedroom dresser since the April 15, 2023 draw, and he didn’t even know it.

Chiasson says he never imagined he could be the winner, and the ticket was kept among a collection of other unchecked tickets at home.  He regularly checks them one month shortly before they are set to expire.

When he finally checked the ticket at a local retailer, he wasn’t sure if he had won $64,000 or $64 million because of all of the zeros, but when he picked up his partner from work and showed her the validation slip, she knew right away.

Chiasson contacted the Atlantic Lottery office on Wednesday.

Chiasson was a crab fisherman for 40 years before starting to work at a local fish plant a few years ago.  He says this Gold Ball jackpot will allow him to retire for good.  He is also looking forward to using the prize to help out his family.

“I don’t want anything big.  It’s not going to change me.  I’m still the same person,” Chiasson said.

He adds that he intends to keep playing the lottery and he even bought more tickets after validating his winning ticket.

“It’s a historic day for Atlantic Lottery.  When the draw happened on April 15, 2023 everyone at Atlantic Lotto was so excited to meet the winner and we didn’t give up hope.  We are just so over the moon excited it has concluded this way and we can pay out this prize to this very deserving winner,” says Molly Cormier, Atlantic Lottery director of brand and communications.

The winning ticket was purchased at Depanneur Pokemouche in Pokemouche.

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