Senior nearly turfs $1M winning lotto ticket

[Gil T.Azell]

From the CBC

Mon Nov 15, 3:57 PM
A 97-year-old man from the Yellowknife area has won $1 million on a lottery ticket he nearly threw in the garbage Michel Paper of Dettah, N.W.T., said he purchased two Set For Life scratch tickets at a downtown Yellowknife grocery store on Saturday, but upon scratching both tickets he did not think he had won. Paper told CBC News he nearly ripped up the winning ticket and threw it into the garbage next to the lottery kiosk. But he said he decided to check first with the woman who worked there.

The kiosk employee called the Western Canada Lottery Corp. in Edmonton to check, and was asked to hand Paper the phone, he recalled.

"That girl, she told me, 'You lucky old man, you make [a] million dollars,'" Paper said Monday.

"I'm happy, you know. I say, God, thank you, thank you."

His son, Frank Paper, told CBC News that his father has appeared unfazed by the lottery win, acting as if nothing had happened.

The younger Paper said his father had gone to the Extra Foods grocery store while he went to a doctor's appointment across the street.

The son said he became concerned upon returning from the appointment because his father was still standing at the lottery kiosk. That was when Michel Paper showed off the winning ticket.

Winners of the Set for Life lottery contest can claim either a single payment of $1 million, or they can get $1,000 every week for 1,290 weeks along with a $10,000 lump sum.

Given his age, Michel Paper said he will take the $1-million lump sum. He is scheduled to pick up his winnings in Edmonton next Tuesday.

Paper said he plans to buy his son and two grandchildren a house. He said until now, he has been supporting them and his own wife with his old age pension.

After buying the house, Paper said he will put the remaining money into a bank account for his grandchildren.

 

[tharpdevenport]

So, what's this 97 year old going to do with the money in the ... what? About two to thrtee months he'll probably live.

Assuming after going there, claiming, and finally receiving SOME of the money ... will he even live to see it?

 

[Lindley]

That's why he took the immediate payout; so that he would be entitled to it and could put it in an account for his grandchildren. Says it right in the article.

Frankly, he's lucky the shock of winning didn't kill him right there...

 

[Robert Maxwell]

So, what's this 97 year old going to do with the money in the ... what? About two to thrtee months he'll probably live.

Assuming after going there, claiming, and finally receiving SOME of the money ... will he even live to see it?

It says right in the quoted portion of the article what he's going to do with it.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I think you missed the dark humor I displayed. ;-)


Anyway, glad he got it. I wonder if the Canadian laws are any similar to U.S. laws; I know there are cheats, work around to where you can give the money to the kids in such a way that they won't owe taxes, at least I recall hearing some from listening to the radio show Handle On the Law.

 

[Bisz]

No need to cheat the system in Canada, winnings (lottery, casino, etc) are not taxed.

 

[JustAFriend]

Down here in Florida we get old people losing their winning lottery tickets all the time.

And their cars, their homes, their spouses, etc....

(Walking through a Walmart is like walking through a scene of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.)

 

[Gil T.Azell]

No need to cheat the system in Canada, winnings (lottery, casino, etc) are not taxed.

Some game rules are different though In BC a game called Set for Life will pay you out $1,00o a week for 25 years ( $1,300,000)or you can take the lump sum of $650,000.
but in any case you are only taxed on the interest you make off of it.

 

[Trekker4747]

So, what's this 97 year old going to do with the money in the ... what? About two to thrtee months he'll probably live.

Assuming after going there, claiming, and finally receiving SOME of the money ... will he even live to see it?

You're right.

Clearly we should have age caps on Lottery tickets.