$50M lotto win kept secret for 7 months by Edmonton couple

For seven months, a $50-million lottery prize has gone unclaimed. Now, an Edmonton couple havefinally comeforward to claim the lottery prize although they say theyve known the whole time that they were holding the winning ticket.

We had to maintain a normal lifestyle until we got all our ducks in the row. We had to take care of things in our own lives, said Andrea Groner, 47, who shares the jackpot with her husband, Bill.

She says the couple realized they had won days after the lucky numbers were announced in December. They held off claiming the ticket, keeping it secret from friends and family, until they were ready. She says they even watched news stories about the unclaimed prize.

"We were actually sitting at home, watching we'd see it on the stuff onTV and say, 'We're right here.'"

Groner wouldntsay what kind of arrangements they made before claiming the prize.

The couple havebeen married for 25 years but saythey were never able to take a honeymoon. They areplanning to rectify that with their winnings.

The Western Canada Lottery Corporation says the $50-million win is the largest ever in Edmonton, and the second largest jackpot awarded in Alberta.