'I just saw lots of zeros': Yorkton man takes home $20M lottery win

Yorkton resident Ernie Anuik is Saskatchewan’s newest millionaire after winning $20 million on the Feb. 15 Lotto Max draw.

Anuik discovered he had won the jackpot on a regular trip to a store to check his tickets.

“I knew someone from Saskatchewan had won and I knew it wasn’t in Regina or Saskatoon, but that didn't really influence me or give me any presumption that I had won,” Anuik said in a release.

The winning ticket was bought at the Shoppers Drug Mart at 277 Broadway St. in Yorkton.

“I just saw lots of zeros,” Anuik laughed, while recalling finding out he won. “There were a couple of people behind us and I don’t think they realized what was happening.”

Anuik returned home and made sure his ticket was in a safe place before calling his children to tell them the news.

“At this point I got advice from a financial person and before I make any decisions about spending any of it, I’m going to spend some time with him,” Anuik said. “If It happened 20 years ago, it would have been a totally different story.”

“There’s no such thing as a sure thing and nothing lasts forever. If you can accept those two things you can get through a lot of stuff in life,” he said when asked about his plans for the money.

Anuik’s lucky numbers were 19, 26, 28, 36, 40, 42 and 48.