Retired Friends Fulfill 30-Year-Old Dream, Win $5M Lotto 6/49 Jackpot

Retired friends Germain Ouellette and Marc Lafleur from the Ottawa-Gatineau area are living the dream after winning $5,000,933.40 in the Lotto 6/49 Classic Jackpot on Feb. 4.

The two pals had been playing together for 20 years and had already streamlined their lottery-buying process with Ouellette buying their lottery tickets using a subscription online with the same numbers every time.

It turns out that holding on to those digits – 11, 13, 29, 31, 42, 47 – was a good move for the duo.

Lafleur of Gatineau, Que., had a dream in the 1990s that those numbers were the winning numbers and wrote them down.

"I was watching the news and I saw my winning numbers on the screen. I recognized them because I had them memorized," he said.

Both men were in shock upon learning of their win. "I found out around the same time. I checked my email and saw one from OLG that said I won a big prize. My jaw dropped," said Ouellette from Vanier, Ont. "I texted Marc and told him we won $5 million!"

The two friends have big plans for their newfound wealth. Ouellette plans to travel to Europe and invest, while Lafleur plans to purchase a new car, invest, and take a trip to Paris. "I've always wanted to go there," said Lafleur with a smile.

Winning the lottery has fulfilled a 30-year-old dream for Lafleur and Ouellette, and retirement is about to get really exciting for these two friends.