Olsen matched all seven main numbers in the draw on Friday 11th November to become one of the biggest Lotto Max winners of the year. While she decided not to come forward too quickly, news quickly spread in her village of Irma and she had to keep away from the TV reporters searching for the winner until she was ready to tell her story.
Picking up her cheque this week, Olsen said: “For my family, it's going to help them out a lot. For me, I'm too old for this. I would have liked to have won this 20 or 30 years ago." Irma has a population of around 500 residents but, having lived there her whole life, Olsen has no plans to leave.
While Olsen’s main focus is on supporting her three children, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, she is excited about possibly travelling to Ireland and replacing her car. She said: “I've got a car that's 11 years old. I never got rid of it because it's never cost me a penny other than oil, gas, and tires, and it has been reliable. But I think I'll buy an SUV, something a little higher for me to get in and out of. So that will be the big purchase."
Speaking about the moment when she scanned her ticket and discovered her big win, Olsen admitted that she thought there had been a mistake. She explained: "I pulled it out and put it back in, and it looked like $500. Pulled it out and put it back in, and told the girl, 'I think there's something wrong with this machine. She comes around the corner and says, 'No, you just won $50 million.”
The Lotto Max jackpot has rolled over twice since Olsen won her magnificent prize, and stands at CA$30 million ahead of tonight’s draw. Tickets are available now via authorised retailers and online, whether you are 18 or 80!
