High River Local Discovers $1 Million LOTTO 6/49 Win While Filling Up His Tank!

Julio Benitez had nearly forgotten about the LOTTO 6/49 ticket he had tucked in his pocket when he stopped to fuel his vehicle. The High River local remembered in the nick time and discovered he won $1 million on the August 22 LOTTO 6/49 Guaranteed Prize draw.

“I had it in my pocket and forgot to check it the last time, so I went in when I was filling up gas,” recalled Benitez. “Then the screen went black and I thought I broke it. I didn’t understand what was happening, but the guy told me I won some money.”

Still unsure of exactly what he had won, Benitez tried to make sense of the validation slip on his own.

“The cashier was on the phone, and I grabbed the slip to try and count the numbers,” he laughed. “I thought maybe $1,000, then $10,000… I couldn’t believe it!”

When the reality of the win started to set in, the excitement was impossible to contain.

“I left the store and jumped and screamed, ‘Thank you, God!’” he said.

Benitez said he already knows how the prize money will make a difference in his life and the lives of those closest to him: “I’m going to pay bills and help my family,” he said. “My son has a baby on the way. This is great timing. It feels like a dream.”

Benitez won the $1 million Guaranteed prize on a LOTTO 6/49 ticket purchased from the Flying J, located at 11511 40 Street SE in Calgary. His winning selection was: 30526413-01.

Download the full release and winner's photo below.