Wetaskiwin County couple wins $12.5M lottery jackpot

Stella Sacreyhas been playing the LOTTO 6/49 since it launched 36 years ago, so she had a gut feeling she'd win, eventually.

She just didn't think it would take this long.

Sacrey and Edward Philpott, a couple from WetaskiwinCounty, are now $12.5 million richerafter winning the jackpot on Feb. 28. A massive cheque was presented to them Tuesday in St. Albert.

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Sacrey bought the couple's $7 ticket at a Petro-Canada gas station in Pigeon Lake. The next morning, she woke up, had a coffee and checked the numbers like she always does.She quickly realizedthe ticket matched all six main winning numbers drawn.

Thepiece of paper in her tremblinghands was worth $12,506,188.10.

She called Philpott out of bed. At first, hedidn't believe her.

"I was going in circles," he said at a news conference Tuesday.

The couple plans to do some travelling with their winnings, and get a new windshield for their car maybe a new car, actually.

"We figured we'll probably buy a new vehicle, help our kids, our families. Andgo somewhere warm," Sacrey said.

The retired couple is thinking of Ireland, California or Hawaii.

The win is the seventh prize of a million dollars or more won by Albertans so far in 2018, according to the Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission.

There are two outstanding million dollar winning tickets sold in the province with winners who haveyet to come forward. Winners have one year from the draw date to claim their prize.