Whitemouth local wins $46M LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball Jackpot!
Earl Giesbrecht is the winner of the May 16 $46 million LOTTO 6/49 jackpot—a record-breaking Gold Ball draw win for Manitoba!
This is the largest LOTTO 6/49 win in Manitoba history. The second largest was almost exactly 5 years ago, when a Manitoban won $27.5 million on the May 12, 2021, LOTTO 6/49 draw.
The Whitemouth local took his ticket to the store to scan it and, at first glance, didn’t fully recognize the size of prize he had won.
“I didn’t know I won, but I did see that someone in Manitoba had so I wanted to check my ticket,” he explained.
“I thought it was $46 thousand at first!” he said. “When I started counting the zeroes, the cashier said, ‘It’s actually $46 million,’ and I just about fell over!”
Giesbrecht said the shock of winning Manitoba’s record-breaking jackpot had him stunned into silence in-store.
“I thought I was going to have a heart attack,” he said. “I had to call my brother just to come and sit with me in the store. I didn’t think I could even drive myself home!”
Soon after Giesbrecht discovered his win, many others in the area did too.
“I think the whole town already knows I’ve won,” he laughed. “News spreads fast!”
Now, the Whitemouth winner is looking forward to what is next for him – and for his family.
“I want to buy a house, and then I’m going to help my children,” he said. “I’m also going to pay my ex-wife’s mortgage off. We were together many years and we still talk.”
Giesbrecht said he’s already spoken to his bank about a plan for managing the majority of his winnings.
“I don’t have many big plans because I’ve never had money like this,” he admitted. “It feels fantastic though—it’s unbelievable! I’m giddy!”
“I’m currently semi-retired,” he continued. “And now I’m thinking about maybe becoming fully retired... we’ll see!”
Giesbrecht purchased his winning LOTTO 6/49 ticket from First Stop Grocers at 115 Railway Avenue in Whitemouth. He won his prize on the May 16 LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball draw with the selection: 24182524-02, the gold ball.
Download the full release and winner's photo below.
