Surrey, Canada — A quick Walmart run for burger buns has turned into Canada’s biggest-ever solo lottery win, and for one Filipino-Canadian, life will never be the same again.
Justin Simporios, a 35-year-old health and safety officer from Surrey, British Columbia, is now $80 million richer after winning the May 9 Lotto Max draw. It’s the largest individual lottery jackpot in Canadian history, and the emotional winner isn’t taking the moment lightly.
“It’s not sad tears, it’s happy tears,” he said during a ceremony in Vancouver where he was handed the oversized cheque from BC Lotto.
The win was spontaneous. Simporios stopped at Surrey Central Walmart to grab burger buns and cheese for dinner. With $12 left in his wallet, he decided to buy a Quick Pick Lotto Max ticket.
That night, while his wife and daughter were sleeping, he checked the results using a flashlight. "16, 17, 30..." he recalled. “When it hit five out of seven, I thought, ‘Hey, we might be millionaires.’”
The numbers kept matching — all the way to $80 million.
The next day, Simporios quit his job and began mapping out how to share the windfall. His plans include:
Helping his mom retire
Paying off his sister’s medical school debt
Supporting his wife’s family
Giving back to the Surrey community, which he now calls his “lucky city”
He also wants to take his family to the Philippines — his wife and daughter have never been — and finally see LeBron James play for the Lakers before the NBA legend retires.
“With this amount of money, I’ll be able to spend more time with my daughter, wife, and family,” he said. “It’s awesome, man. I’m just feeling blessed right now.”
Simporios’ win marks not just a personal milestone, but a powerful story of hope for many immigrants. From bus rides in Montreal to a flash of luck in Surrey, he calls this moment “generational wealth” — and a new beginning.