IG news Update,
NEW WATERFORD, N.S. — An 83-year-old Cape Breton woman says she plans to buy a “new to her” Cadillac with the $31 million lottery prize.
Mary McCarthy of New Waterford, NS, says the winning ticket for the Jan. 31 Lotto Max draw was a birthday present from her grandson Jeff.
McCarthy says she was in disbelief when the two of them first checked the numbers, which prompted Jeff to call the Atlantic Lottery to verify the win.
When her grandson delivered the good news, she says her initial reaction was, “Yeah, right.”
The win is the biggest lottery prize ever won in the Maritimes.
The largest prize ever won in Atlantic Canada was $60 million in February 2018 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“It doesn’t feel real,” McCarthy said in a statement. “I never thought about a bucket list or anything before, because I never thought I’d have the money to do something about it.”
In addition to the Cadillac, McCarthy said she plans to share her winnings with her brothers and sisters, and pay off the mortgages of all her nieces and nephews.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 9, 2023.
join the conversation
Anyone can read conversations, but to contribute, you must be a registered Torstar account holder. If you don’t have a Torstar account yet, you can create one now (it’s free)