7 of the Biggest Lottery Wins in Alberta History

Many Canadians dream of what it would be like to buy a winning lottery ticket that fills their bank accounts with millions. They picture making lavish purchases, retiring, owning a big home, and supporting their families. For a few lucky Albertans, this dream isn’t just fantasy—it’s reality. They bought a ticket at the right place and time and have reaped the financial benefits. Of the winners, these seven have won some of the biggest lotteries in the province.

Matthew Tannas – $40 Million

Part of a record-breaking $80 million jackpot was won not by an Albertan, but by a Manitoban visiting the province, Matthew Tannas. Tannas worked as a firefighter in his small town of Hamiota and periodically in Alberta as a big game hunting guide. In December 2024, he bought a lottery ticket using his phone during one of these working visits in the province and realized his ticket had the winning numbers. The jackpot was split between two winning tickets, one belonging to Tannas and the other to a woman in Quebec. They each walked away with $40 million. Tannas plans to use his winnings to secure his children’s education and will buy a new truck so he can visit his sister in Nova Scotia. The Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) reports this is the largest amount ever won through their app.

Travis and Sandra Fredland – $54 Million

Soon after Tannas’s big win, a Grand Prairie couple hit the jackpot too. In December 2024, Travis and Sandra Fredland won the Lotto 6-49 draw, becoming overnight millionaires with a $54 million windfall. The couple were in shock, with Travis saying he kept rechecking the ticket because he did not believe what he saw. When he brought the ticket to a cashier to check the numbers, he still wasn’t sure, but of course the results were clear—the couple was now $54 million richer. They had purchased their ticket at the Westgate New Horizon Co-op and had been playing for years, never expecting to win. Their plan for the money is to enjoy retirement and a trip to Palm Springs, though Sandra noted that the amount of money was overwhelming and that they would take time to figure out what they would do beyond these two plans.

Aaron Parsons – $55 Million

One April day in 2023, Aaron Parsons walked into a 7-Eleven for one thing: cake for his girlfriend. On a whim, he purchased a Lotto Max ticket, which turned into a $55 million payday. Like the Fredlands, Parsons was stunned when he realized he was holding the winning ticket. He had to call the WCLC before he would believe it. When he claimed his prize, he wasn’t 100% sure what to do with the sudden influx of cash, but he knew he wanted to help his parents retire, get his girlfriend a new car, and maybe get himself LASIK. He also wanted to share some of his winnings with his brother and friends, but said he was so shocked that he still needed to figure out his exact plan.

Brett McCoy and Robin Walker – $60 Million

Another Alberta couple got the shock of a lifetime in October 2017 when they won a Lotto Max draw for $60 million—the largest jackpot in Alberta’s history at the time. The couple bought the ticket at McLeod Trading Post in a small Alberta hamlet. When they checked their Lotto Max tickets, they won $100 from another ticket, and at first, they were in shock and disbelief when they thought their second winning ticket had won them $60,000. But the store cashier looked at Robin Walker, who had just shouted joyfully to her partner, Brett McCoy, that they’d won $60,000, and told her she should count the zeros. Taking a second to recount, Walker was shocked to find that she and McCoy had actually won a whopping $60 million. The couple had no intention of making any significant life changes, except paying off their mortgage and splurging on a new truck.

Tai Trinh – $65 Million

In October 2019, Tai Trinh collected a life-changing $65 million from a winning Lotto Max ticket. Trinh had bought the ticket as part of his daily routine. He had stopped at a Calgary Shell gas station to buy a coffee and a lotto ticket, but when he realized he had won the largest jackpot in Alberta at the time, Trinh’s usual routine had a major shift. Trinh is a private man who revealed very little about himself and his plans for the money, but he did break into a major smile with the large cheque in hand.

Mitchel Dyck – $70 Million

Whenever Mitchel Dyck filled his truck with gas, he grabbed a lotto ticket. In November 2022, that habit finally paid off—big time. Dyck walked away with a ticket worth $70 million, Alberta’s largest jackpot ever won. Dyck owns a landscaping business in Calgary and will keep working—though he’s taking a few extra days off to be with family. His first big splurge? A Christmas vacation. While he acknowledges that the money is life-changing, he hopes it won’t change him and will bring peace of mind knowing his family will be cared for.

Brian Hoover – $70 Million

In February 2024, another $70 million jackpot was won, this time by Brian Hoover in the town Beaverlodge, over 500 km north of Edmonton. Hoover and his late wife had always dreamed of winning the lottery, and now that he has, he wants to use the winnings to honour her legacy. He wants to name a park for her because of her love of bringing their children to parks and help his family financially by paying off their mortgages. For himself, he’s going to use the money to fund a road trip to visit a friend in the Yukon.

These lottery wins fuel dreams of one day joining their ranks and living with financial comfort. Whether it’s through lottery jackpots or online casinos where you can spin your way to top prizes, experiencing a financial windfall could come in many forms—and who knows, you could be the next big winner!