22-year-old grocery store bagger wins $70 million lottery prize

A grocery store bagger from Québec, Canada, is $70 million richer after hitting the largest jackpot in the province’s history.

A grocery store bagger from Québec, Canada, is $70 million richer after hitting the largest jackpot in the province’s history, according to CNN.

Gregory Mathieu, 22, paid $5 for the lucky Lotto Max ticket at his job at the IGA Extra grocery store in the Saint-Romuald district of Levis, Québec City.

He wasted no time claiming the prize, showing up at Loto‑Québec offices the day after Tuesday night’s drawing, according to reports.

The $70 million prize is the maximum amount that can be won in the Lotto Max game, according to Loto‑Québec.

“The jackpot starts at $10,000,000 and, if not won, grows by at least $5,000,000 per draw up to the maximum jackpot of $70,000,000,” according to the lottery’s website.

Only one other Lotto Max contestant won a cool million Tuesday for hitting 6 of the 7 winning numbers plus the bonus ball, according to the website.

Tuesday’s winning numbers in the main draw were 15-32-36-40-41-43-48, and the Bonus Ball was 10.

Mathieu, who hit all of the seven main numbers, said he plans to share the winnings with close relatives.

“There will be eight winners from the same family,” said Patrice Lavoie, the corporate director of public affairs at Loto‑Québec , according to CNN. “He shared it with seven family members.”

Before it was known that Mathieu had won, Lavoie went on Twitter before sunrise Wednesday to announce the winner was from Québec.

“The #lottomax jackpot winning ticket has been sold in Quebec! @LotoQuebec will therefore pay the biggest prize in its entire history to one or more lucky people! And for the others: two Maxmillions were also won in Quebec. Check your tickets!” he said.

A news conference was planned for Friday to introduce Mathieu to the public.

Loto‑Québec's website typically features photos of every winner smiling and holding up a supersized check.

Lotto Max numbers are drawn every Tuesday and Friday.

The next drawing has a prize of about $19 million, according to the website.

There is no word yet whether Mathieu plans to keep his job at the store.