Mom and son from N.B. win Atlantic 49 prize
A St. Stephen man and his mom are over $25,000 richer, thanks to an Atlantic 49 ticket.
Lubin Gregory, 44, and his 65-year-old mother Cindy have been buying lottery tickets together for a very long time and playing the same set of numbers. They’re the same ones his mother has been using for decades.
Gregory checked their ticket following the Wednesday night Atlantic 49 draw, after hearing that someone from St. Stephen had won a big prize.
“There ain’t no way,” Gregory recalled. “We always checked our tickets right away.”
After scanning the ticket at the convenience store, the screen displayed a congratulatory message indicating it was a major prize winner.
“I said, ‘No way. Really? It can’t happen,'” he said.
They won in the guaranteed prize draw.
Gregory said neither of them had ever won a significant lottery prize before.
“This is our first time,” he said.
The pair regularly purchase several tickets at different retailers in the area.
“You never know where it could happen,” Gregory said.
Since learning of the win, Gregory said word has spread quickly throughout the community. A photo shared online by a local convenience store prompted an outpouring of messages and phone calls from friends and neighbours.
“My phone’s been blowing up,” he said. “They’re just saying congratulations. It couldn’t happen to any better people, and they’re glad somebody local won.”
As for what comes next, Gregory said the plans are simple.
“Just paying bills,” he said. “Pay everything off.”
They’ve contacted Atlantic Lottery and are waiting to finalize arrangements to claim their prize in Moncton.
Gregory said the experience still feels surreal, especially for his mother, whose lucky numbers have finally paid off after 40 years of faithful play.
