
From a simple immigrant to becoming a multi-millionaire overnight, Justin Simporios won the biggest lottery jackpot of Canadian $80 million, or US $57 million, in the Lotto Max Jackpot on May 9.
Justin, a Filipino immigrant in British Columbia, Canada, shared that he needed to buy ingredients for hamburgers at Walmart, Central Surrey. Then, he saw that they're selling lottery tickets, so he decided to buy one.
He admitted that he usually only buys tickets when the prize has exceeded Canadian $40 million. Additionally, he revealed that the winning numbers he chose were a "quick pick," something he wasn't prepared for.
He admitted that he couldn't sleep on the night of the draw while her daughter was sick in bed and asleep. So, he decided to check on the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) website to check the lottery result, and found that only a single winning ticket was sold, and that it was in Surrey.
Justin recalled joking to his wife that he won, which only made her mad. However, after checking the winning numbers, one at a time using a flashlight, he could not believe it, "When it hit like five out of seven, I got like, 'You know what? I think we're millionaires. I didn't see like 'Five out of seven, Surrey.' So when it hit, oh, I already screamed,' Justin recalled.
He shared that his wife got mad again because he shouted and cried after finding out they won.
"We couldn't believe it, it was a dream," he added.
TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE STORY OF THE LOTTO WINNERS DECEIVED BY THEIR FAMILIES IN THIS GALLERY:
Justin's plans with his winnings mostly involve his family as he wants to secure their future right now. He also talked about talking to a financial advisor to help them out.
He resigned from his job at a logistics company and will buy a new house for his family. He also planned to help his mother retire early and pay off his sister's medical debts.
However, Justin also wanted to share his blessings with the community by supporting local charities. He said in an interview, “I'm an immigrant. I came from a poor country. Like, this money's a lot, right? I've been struggling. I'm a father. I work full time. This is so much money for us… I really want to give back to the community as much as I can.”
Justin also hopes to take his family on a well-deserved vacation in the Philippines and fulfill a personal dream of watching Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James play live.