According to the annual report from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, 2021, has been quite generous for the population of B.C. in terms of lottery winnings. In fact, the province has informed of a record-setting year, with more than CA$891 million awarded in cash prizes from a total of 102 million winning tickets to the local lottery enthusiasts.
The BCLC is a state-run socially responsible lottery and gambling regulator for the Province of British Columbia. Its objective is to offer socially responsible gambling services to the local population while giving back the revenue to the province to support its economic growth. As this year comes to an end the agency has published a highlight report for its many winners.
Record-Breaking Year
This year, the Crown agency reports a total of 102 million winning tickets to players at retail locations and online. The biggest prize for the year was Christine Lauzon’s one, as she grabbed CA$70,000,000 from Lotto Max from the September 28 draw. Now, Ms. Lauzon is the winner of the largest lotto win in the history of the province.
Interim President and CEO of the BCLC, Lynda Cavanaugh said that as the calendar year comes to an end the agency is celebrating its many players’ winnings, which have helped many people achieve their life-long dreams. In her words, thanks to the many players, the Crown manages to generate revenue for the province, which is later invested back into communities.
The biggest portion of lottery prizes paid out goes to Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, as they are responsible for CA$421 million in prizes from a total of 48.8 million winning tickets. Also, 36 grand prizes were awarded to the region worth at least CA$500,000. Additionally, over 10.6 million free-play tickets have been won by the local players.
Additionally, the Thompson-Nicola and the Okanagan regions have managed to acquire CA$225.9 million from the prizes paid out in the province for 2021. The regions collected a total of 14.3 million winning tickets, out of which 14 were grand prize-winning tickets with a value of CA$500,000 or more. Also, they report 2.8 million free-play tickets won.
Largest Lottery Win
As already mentioned, the largest lottery win in the history of British Columbia was recorded in 2021, and it went to Christine Lauzon from Burnaby. After claiming her enormous cheque from a BCLC office, the winner explained that it was the Quick Pick option that brought her the fortune. Her life-changing ticket was purchased from the Shopper Drug Mart on Hastings Street in Burnaby.
Significant Contribution
Thanks to its many players, the BCLC is able to pour revenue back into the province and contribute to its economic growth. In the summer, the Crown corporation published its 2020/21 fiscal performance, according to which it managed to deliver CA$419 million in net revenue for the province. Lottery revenue has also increased and it reported a record-breaking amount of CA$544 million.
Source: “B.C. Lottery Players Win Big in 2021”, BCLC, December 29, 2021
