Earl Giesbrecht collects his winnings during a news conference in Winnipeg on Thursday, June 4, 2026. (WCLC)
A Whitemouth man is Manitoba’s biggest LOTTO 6/49 winner ever after claiming a $46 million Gold Ball jackpot from the May 16 draw.
Earl Giesbrecht said he had no idea the magnitude of what he’d won when he first scanned his ticket at the store.
“I thought it was $46 thousand at first,” he said. “When I started counting the zeroes, the cashier said, ‘It’s actually $46 million,’ and I just about fell over.”
Giesbrecht said the shock left him rooted to the spot.
“I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I had to call my brother just to come and sit with me in the store. I didn’t think I could even drive myself home!”
The win surpasses the previous Manitoba LOTTO 6/49 record of $27.5 million, set almost exactly five years ago on the May 12, 2021 draw.
Giesbrecht says he plans to buy a house, help his children, and pay off his ex-wife’s mortgage. He’s also reconsidering his semi-retirement.
“I’m thinking about maybe becoming fully retired… we’ll see!” he said. “It feels fantastic — it’s unbelievable. I’m giddy!”
His winning ticket was purchased at First Stop Grocers at 115 Railway Avenue in Whitemouth.
Earl Giesbrecht speaks to the media at a news conference in Winnipeg on Thursday, June 4, 2026. (WCLC)
