Filipino family wins $60 million, Manitoba’s largest lottery jackpot

John Chua and his family bought the winning ticket. (From left to right, John Chua, John’s wife Jhoanna Chua, John’s mom Angie Chua, and John’s uncle Ben Lagman. (Western Canada Lottery Corporation)

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – A Filipino family won Manitoba’s largest lottery jackpot, a whopping $60-million Lotto Max prize.

Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) on Tuesday, Feb. 2 announced that John Chua, his wife, Jhoana Chua, mother, Angie Chua, and his uncle, Ben Lagman, have the matching numbers for the massive prize.

John Chua said he bought the ticket online on Play Now. He thought he didn’t win, but he got an email later in the day from Play Now.

“I thought it might be a Free Play or something. But it said $60 million—I was confused, so I checked on PlayNow.com when I got home,” John said as quoted in a news release from the WCLC.

Chua’s winning ticket had the numbers 11, 21, 23, 25, 28, 41 and 43, which is the largest winning ticket purchased online in Canada.

“He always plays jokes – he’s a joker, so I didn’t believe it,” Angie Chua recalled as her son told her their family was about to be multimillionaires.

John said he is going to be wise with the money. “I just want to take the time and do the smart thing.”

The previous record for a Lotto Max win in Manitoba was $50 million back in 2009. The previous record for a Winnipeg win was $27.2 million with a Lotto 6/49 in 2005.