Image: BC Lottery Corporation

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Lotto Max winner

Fraser Valley resident wins record-breaking $80 million Lotto Max jackpot

May 15, 2025 | 11:50 AM

FRASER VALLEY — Fraser Valley resident Justin Simporios will be able to help his sister with her medical school debt and ensure that his mom retires early now that he has won the largest jackpot in British Columbia, and the largest won by a single individual in Canadian history.

BC Lottery Corporation says Simporios had a very sleepless night after learning he won the $80 million Lotto Jackpot from the May 9, 2025 draw. This is the largest lottery jackpot ever won in British Columbia, and is also the largest jackpot ever won by a single individual in Canada.

“It was 10:30 p.m.,” recalled Simporios of the moment he realized he won. “I saw that someone won $80 million in Surrey. I was joking and told my wife ‘we’re millionaires!’ and she told me to stop making that joke. After, I manually checked each number before scanning [using the BCLC Lotto! App]. I cried and shouted, ‘we’re millionaires!’”

The Surrey resident woke up his wife to share the news, but she wasn’t initially receptive to his overture.

“She was in complete disbelief and a bit mad at me because our daughter wasn’t feeling well.” Simporios’ wife luckily agreed this was a good reason to wake her.

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While still in complete shock over the prize windfall, Simporios says he is ultimately most excited to share his windfall with his family.

“I want to help my family and my wife’s family. I’ll pay off my sister’s medical school debt and help my mom retire early – just giving my family a head start in life.”

Giving back to the community in Surrey and B.C. is also a key motivator for Simporios. “I’ve struggled before and needed help. Even if I can give an ounce of happiness, I want to help where we can. This feels like a dream.”

Like many Filipinos, Simporios is an avid basketball fan, and hopes to like to see LeBron James play before the NBA superstar retires. He also plans to visit his family in the Philippines for a family reunion. “My wife and kid have never visited!”

On how it feels to win a record-breaking jackpot?

“The biggest change will be having more time with my wife and family. We want to live with a purpose – to help the community around us.”

Simporios purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart Supercentre in Central City on King George Boulevard in Surrey.

So far in 2025, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $101 million from Lotto Max. Lotto Max is a nationwide lottery game drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays after 7:30 p.m. (PST).