Eight Calgarians have won $1 million as part of the Lotto 6/49.
Catherine Forsyth, Barbara Stromquist, Joanne Deaver, Laurel Gordon-Cooper, Shirley Eagle, Susan Cahill, Wendy DeMontigny, and Wendy Merriam joined in as a group to win the money.
The women have been friends since they were kids.
“We started as a parent group and now we’re also a grandparent group,” says Forsyth.
Forsyth mentioned the women started a lottery subscription with a friend 10 years ago because they didn't want to go in every week to buy and check tickets.
“She has since passed, but we carried it on," added Forsyth.
According to a news release from the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, the friends found out they won through a phone call.
Forsyth bought the winning ticket for the friend group through Subscription Spot.
They won in the Gold Ball Draw in the Lotto 6/49 September 11 draw by matching: 38272561-01 a white ball.
Forsyth explained that she immediately called her friends to share the news.
“They all said the same thing,” she joked. “’Oh my god.’”
The eight women said they'll likely be spending even more time together now that they won.
“Everybody thinks it’s better than we ever imagined,” beamed Gordon-Cooper. “We’re mostly 60-plus years old here. One gal already put a deposit on a new car.”
The WCLC says each member will receive $125,000 if they split the money evenly.