St. John’s couple wins $5 million Lotto 6/49 jackpot
Scott Ennis and Susan Avery of St. John’s, N.L., needed some time to let the news sink in after winning the $5-million Lotto 6/49 Classic Jackpot in the Aug. 26 draw.
“It was surreal at first,” Ennis said. “We were very shocked.”
“We knew it was going to change our lives, but also our daughters’ lives,” Avery added.
Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday, with two multi-million-dollar jackpots up for grabs. The Classic Jackpot is always $5 million, while the Gold Ball Jackpot starts at $10 million and can grow beyond $60 million.
The Gold Ball Draw guarantees a winner in every draw. If a white ball is drawn, the winner takes home $1 million. If a gold ball is drawn, the winner claims the growing Gold Ball Jackpot.
Ennis and Avery’s ticket matched all six numbers in the Classic Draw on Aug. 26, 2026, earning them the $5-million jackpot.
The morning after the draw started like any other for the family. Ennis noticed an email from Atlantic Lottery about a prize, but assumed it was a small win. With the morning rush of getting everyone out the door on time, he didn’t check the amount.
“At work, people were mumbling about a $5-million prize going in Newfoundland, so I went to my cubicle, took out my phone and found my past tickets folder,” Ennis said. “It started going with confetti and said ‘$5 million,’ and I just sat there, didn’t make a sound. I had a meeting in five minutes, but I knew I couldn’t go to the meeting.”
Ennis told his manager that something personal had come up and left work to share the news with his wife.
“He texted me and said, ‘Can you come out and meet me in the parking lot?’” Avery said. “When I walked out, I could see his face and he was grinning but was emotion-filled – like his eyes just kind of filled.”
The couple plans to continue working for now, but hopes to invest a large portion of their winnings so they can retire in a few years. They also plan to help loved ones, make some home renovations, purchase a new vehicle and take a trip with their entire family.
The couple purchased their winning Lotto 6/49 ticket online at alc.ca.
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