After 2 months, Calgary couple check Daily Grand ticket and discover they won $7 million

Calgarians Meghan Petaske and Cody Rudiger won $7 million in the Daily Grand lottery recently

Meghan Petaske and Cody Rudiger took a while to get around to their Christmas basket gifts this year, and are they ever glad they finally did.

The Calgary couple received a Daily Gaind lottery ticket from Petaske’s mom as part of her annual Christmas baskets – one for each of the family’s five children -- and then neglected to check them for two months.

When they did, they discovered they'd won $7 million.

“When we checked the ticket at the store, we weren’t sure how much we had actually won,” Petaske said. “We had to get a printout and put the commas in in the right places – we couldn’t believe it!”

The winners are making plans how to use their windfall.

“We can’t get over the wonderful timing,” said Petaske. “We’re just starting out in life, and we’ll be able to pay off student loans and really invest in our future.”

“It’s emotional for me,” she continued. “I never thought I would own a house and now… well, it’s a reality now!”

“We’re both pretty financially responsible,” Rudiger added. “We don’t want to get 10 years down the road and all the money’s gone!”

“This really is helping us to find freedom, though,” he continued. “The possibilities are endless!”

The duo have plans for some fun, too.

“We talked about travelling in the past,” said Rudiger. “Greece, Spain, all through Europe would be amazing.”

They also plan to share some of it with family and their community.

The winning ticket was purchased at an Okotoks Shoppers Drug Mart on Southridge Drive. Petaske’s mom bought the Daily Grand ticket as part of a $20 Triple Pack.