Olds resident planning birthday surprise for his wife after winning $1M Western Max prize

Olds resident Brett Durand celebrates after winning $1 million in the Western Max draw on Sept. 17. (Photo: Western Canada Lottery Corp.)

When Olds resident Brett Durand scanned his Western Max ticket and discovered it was a winner, there was one thing he couldn’t see.

“I scanned it and thought, ‘There’s no decimal!’” Durand said.”I kept looking for the decimal place and gradually realized it was actually a million (dollar prize)!”

Durand’s big million-dollar prize came after buying a Western Max ticket at the Circle K store at 5622 46 Street in Olds that produced the winning combination of numbers in the Sept. 17 draw, which were 1, 3, 31,3 4, 40, 42 and 49.

As soon as Durand realized what he’d won, he went home to tell his wife in person.

“She thought I was joking,” he said. “She had the biggest smile when she realized we can both semi-retire and give our bodies a break!”

“Her birthday is next week," he added, "and I’m going to surprise her with a little something!”

Winning a million came at the best possible time of his life for Durand.

“It’s very relieving,” he said. “It’s a lot of money. Life-changing in a way that allows us to walk into the next chapter (of our lives).”