3 southern Albertans bring home $1.2M from Lotto Spot Live event in St. Albert

Calgary resident John Wark won $500,000 Friday at a Big Spin event in St. Albert.

A trio of southern Albertans had a big day in St. Albert on Friday, claiming $1.2 million at a Lotto Spot Live event.

Calgary resident John Wark got a spin on The Bigger Spin wheel due to a winning Scratch and Win ticket he purchased at Mini Food Mart at 440 Erin Woods Dr. S.E. in Calgary when he stopped to pick up firewood one day.

“It’s somewhere I never go, but I was getting wood for my fireplace on Halloween night, and I got a ticket,” he said “When I scratched the ticket, I was flabbergasted by the $10,000, and when I read the back of the ticket and realized what the spin meant, I was just over the moon!”

Wark’s spin landed on a $500,000 prize.

Okotoks resident James Garvey bought a ticket from Shoppers Drug Mart at 171 31 Southridge Dr. in Okotoks on July 21, where he won $10,000 and a date with The Big Spin prize wheel.

“I couldn’t believe it at first,” he said. “Everyone in the store went crazy and people were high-fiving me everywhere!”

Friday, Garvey’s big spin turned into a $500,000 windfall.

Calgary resident Mohamad Belo bought a Plinko ticket at the Circle K at 8 McKenzie Town Ave. S.E. on July 9, where he learned he’d won $10,000 and a big spin in St. Albert.

“I was excited,” he said. “I scratched it right there in the store and couldn’t believe my eyes!”

Belo’s big spin was good for $200,000.

“First and foremost—I want to buy a house," he said. “This money is just—wow!”

Garvey says he is going to think about how to spend his $500,000 in the U.K.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m really hoping to take a trip to England after Christmas,” he said. “We’ll see where I go from there! This is really going to change my life.”

As for Wark, the first thing he said was going to change was his wife’s life.

“I’m hoping my wife can retire with this win—we’ve been together 35 years!" he said.

“We are thinking about downsizing our home and doing some travel,” he said. “We’d love to go across Canada and visit our great granddaughter... and Ireland is on my bucket list!”

Tickets for The Big Spin and The Bigger Spin are available at Lotto Spot retailers across Alberta.