Julio Benitez had nearly forgotten about the Lotto 6/49 ticket tucked in his pocket. It came back to him when he stopped to fuel his vehicle, so he took it inside to check.
That ticket, according to the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), had won C$1 million in the Lotto 6/49 Guaranteed Prize draw of August 22, 2026. Benitez is a High River local, but the ticket was bought at the Flying J at 11511 40 Street SE in Calgary. WCLC shared his story on October 6, 2026, under Lotto Spot, its main public-facing brand for winner announcements.
Lotto 6/49 itself is one of Canada's national games, run by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation (ILC) and sold through regional lottery corporations such as WCLC.
When the screen went black
"I had it in my pocket and forgot to check it the last time, so I went in when I was filling up gas," Benitez recalled in WCLC's announcement. "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."
Not yet sure what he had actually won, he set about making sense of the validation slip on his own.
Reading the slip, one guess at a time
"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!"
Once the reality of the win began to sink in, WCLC says, the excitement was impossible to contain.
"I left the store and jumped and screamed, 'Thank you, God!'" he said.
Bills, family and a baby on the way
According to WCLC, Benitez already knows how the prize money will make a difference in his life and in 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."
Worth knowing: lottery winnings are not taxed in Canada (Canada Revenue Agency). That's general information rather than advice, and the CRA or a professional is the right place to ask about anything specific.
A word like Guaranteed can make a Lotto 6/49 prize sound more within reach than it is. No single ticket is promised anything: a C$1 million result like his is a genuine long shot, and every draw is random.
If you'd like to look back, the results from the August 22, 2026 draw are on lottery.fm, and the Lotto 6/49 results page has the latest numbers.
The whole discovery came down to one stop for gas: a pocket, a screen, a slip, a shout outside the store. It's a small stage for a C$1 million moment, which may be exactly why it's so easy to picture.
Keep your play to a budget you've set in advance. If gambling has stopped being fun, support is available through the problem gambling helpline for your province or territory — the Responsible Gambling Council lists every one on its Help for Canadians page.
Always confirm winning numbers, prize amounts, and deadlines with the official operator before acting on a ticket — the operator's published results are the only ones that count.
Sources
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Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), published under its Lotto Spot brand, October 6, 2026 — High River Local Discovers $1 Million LOTTO 6/49 Win While Filling Up His Tank!
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Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), October 6, 2026, full release (PDF) — High River Local Discovers $1 Million LOTTO 6/49 Win While Filling Up His Tank! (PDF)
