Phuc Duc (Daniel) Chau loves the Bubly brand of sparkling water and stopped in a convenience store to purchase a can. Chau likes to buy lottery tickets based on a gut feeling, and due to the employee’s bubbly nature while he purchased his Bubly, Chau also purchased a Lotto Max ticket for the May 23, 2025 draw.  

It was this ticket that ended up scoring Chau a whopping $40-million jackpot.  

“I was at work when I found out,” recalled Chau of the moment he realized he won. “I was going through my bag to find a cough drop, but I saw that I had two lottery tickets in my bag and decided to scan the tickets, but I needed to update the [BCLC Lotto!] app first. The first ticket I didn’t win anything, but the second said $40 million. I have never seen that many zeroes in my life, ever. I dropped my phone and then called BCLC right away!” 

At the time of the prize claim, the Vancouver resident hadn’t yet shared the news of his win.  

“My partner doesn’t know yet! I want to share the news with them in a special way.”  

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Chau shared that his dream has always been to travel the world. “There are so many places I want to go to, so I haven’t fully decided!” 

When asked if he will quit his job, he said, “I haven’t decided, but I want to continue to support my community in a different way.” 

On how it feels to be a multimillionaire?  

“It means a lot to me. It opens up an opportunity for me to give back to my family, community and the world all around me. It’s not meaningful unless you can share this with those who need it.”  

Chau purchased the winning ticket at the 7-Eleven on Imperial Street and Boundary Road in Burnaby.  

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So far in 2025, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $146 million from Lotto Max. Lotto Max is a nationwide lottery game drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays after 7:30 p.m. (PST).  

Players can purchase tickets at lottery retailers or at PlayNow.com. Winning numbers and group release forms can be found online at www.bclc.com. Players can check their lottery tickets anytime, anywhere on iOS and Android devices. 

BCLC offers socially responsible gambling entertainment while generating income to benefit all British Columbians. Players can visit PlayNow.com to learn how to set time and money limits.

BCLC has launched a Scratch & Win ticket that is a win-win for both the Top Prize winner and their registered B.C. charity of choice.

The Greater Good Giveaway ticket offers a Top Prize of $10,000 for the winner and $10,000 for their registered charity of choice, selected from a list of British Columbia charities on CanadaHelps.

Thomas D’Cruz from Richmond is the first Top Prize winner for Greater Good Giveaway. D’Cruz selected the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation to receive the $10,000 charity prize, sharing that he “wanted to help children.” The winning ticket was purchased at Walmart on Alderbridge Way in Richmond.

There are over 12,000 registered B.C. charities on CanadaHelps for Top Prize winners to select from that support a variety of different causes, including arts and culture, education, social services and more.

“At BCLC, we believe that when we share the wins, we feel more connected to each other, our communities and our province,” says Natasha Questel, BCLC Chief Social Purpose Officer and Vice President of Marketing. “Our players have shared that they are interested in different types of prizing that go beyond a dollar amount, so as we celebrate our 40^th anniversary we’re thrilled to launch the Greater Good Giveaway – a ticket that allows our players the chance to support causes that resonate deeply with them, and aligns strongly with our social purpose – to generate win-wins for the greater good.”

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Greater Good Giveaway tickets are $2 each and are available for purchase at lottery retailers across the province. For full details on the Greater Good Giveaway ticket, including how to play, please visit our website.

In 2024, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $137 million in winnings from Scratch & Win.

Since 1985, BCLC has delivered more than $29 billion to the provincial government to support communities, provincial programs and services, charities and major events that have helped shape B.C.

Justin Simporios is normally a sound sleeper who “can fall asleep anywhere” – but he had a very sleepless night, after learning he won an $80-million Lotto Max jackpot from the May 9, 2025 draw. This is the largest lottery jackpot ever won in B.C. and is also the largest jackpot ever won by a single individual in Canada.  

“It was 10:30 p.m.,” recalled Simporios of the moment he realized he won. “I saw that someone won $80 million in Surrey. I was joking and told my wife ‘we’re millionaires!’ and she told me to stop making that joke. After, I manually checked each number before scanning [using the BCLC Lotto! I cried and shouted, ‘we’re millionaires!’” 

The Surrey resident woke up his wife to share the news. “She was in complete disbelief and a bit mad at me because our daughter wasn’t feeling well.” Simporios’ wife luckily agreed this was a good reason to wake her.  

While still in disbelief about his win, Simporios is ultimately most excited to share his windfall with his family. “I want to help my family and my wife’s family. I’ll pay off my sister’s medical school debt and help my mom retire early – just giving my family a head start in life.”  

Giving back to the community in Surrey and B.C. is also a key priority for Simporios. “I’ve struggled before and needed help. Even if I can give an ounce of happiness, I want to help where we can. This feels like a dream.”  

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As an avid LA Lakers fan, Simporios mentioned he would like to see LeBron James play before James retires. He also plans to visit his family in the Philippines for a family reunion. “My wife and kid have never visited!”   

On how it feels to win a record-breaking jackpot?   

“The biggest change will be having more time with my wife and family. We want to live with a purpose – to help the community around us.”  

Simporios purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart Supercentre in Central City on King George Boulevard in Surrey. 

So far in 2025, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $101 million from Lotto Max. Lotto Max is a nationwide lottery game drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays after 7:30 p.m. (PST).  

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Players can purchase tickets at lottery retailers or at PlayNow.com. Winning numbers and group release forms can be found online at www.bclc.com. Players can check their lottery tickets anytime, anywhere on iOS and Android devices. Learn more about the BCLC Lotto! 

BCLC offers socially responsible gambling entertainment while generating income to benefit all British Columbians. Players can visit PlayNow.com to learn how to set time and money limits.