A Dalhousie, N.B., resident has won $50 million in the Lotto Max jackpot. Atlantic Lottery says Shaun Ryan has claimed the jackpot from the Nov. 6 draw. Ryan, who is retired, said he plans to use the money to help his wife retire from teaching so she can enjoy some travelling while he stays home with the dogs. He also plans to use the winnings to help his community as well as his seven children and grandchildren with their futures. He said after hearing of a $50-million winning ticket being sold in Restigouche County on social media, he resisted the urge to check his ticket. “My wife asked if we had a ticket and then my son texted me and asked if we bought one,” Ryan said in an Atlantic Lottery news release. “My wife asked if I was going to go check it and I said, ‘No, not yet. I want to keep the dream alive.’” His son told him, “You should check it, I have a feeling.” So, he went to the store and asked for the winning numbers. “I took those home and sat at the dining room table and checked my tickets and of course, when all of the numbers lined up your heart flutters and your emotions get really high. That’s what happened there,” Ryan told CTV News. He said he still can’t put the feeling into words, though. “It’s so emotional and there’s a responsibility that goes with it now, but I know that I’m going to make so many people happy and maybe change a few lives along the way for sure. So that’s fantastic,” said Ryan. “We didn’t celebrate. We could hardly eat or sleep.” He said he feels the urge to help his community and local organizations with the winnings. “There’s a lot to think of because there’s a lot that could be done for the community,” he said. “I’m grateful that I’ll be able to set up my family, some of our friends, community organizations. We’re a small place and I know a lot of people and we’ll look at where we can have the most impact,” Ryan added. On Tuesday morning, the lobby of the Atlantic Lottery building on Moncton’s Main Street was filled with employees to present the cheque. “It’s always the best day here at Atlantic Lottery for all of our employees when we get to celebrate our major wins,” said Atlantic Lottery spokesperson Lindsay Meekins. “It’s why we do what we do every day. It creates such an excitement in this building and it really makes the work so meaningful for all of us here.” The winning ticket was purchased at the Circle K in Dalhousie, and the retailer received a one per cent prize worth $500,000. The jackpot celebrated on Tuesday is the second-largest lottery prize ever won in New Brunswick and the third largest awarded in Atlantic Canada. A $64-million Lotto 6/49 jackpot was sold in Gloucester County in 2024 as well as a $60-million Lotto Max jackpot in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2018. With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Derek Haggett For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
