2023-07-21

MONCTON (N.B.) – Jim Slate of Shediac Cape, N.B. just won $1 million for the second time, but this one he’s sharing with his long-time friend, Bill Eisener of Moncton.

The pair won their prize on the Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball draw for July 12. Slate previously won $1 million on a Scratch’N Win in 2011 and said there was “not a chance” he ever expected it to happen again.

Friends for decades, they have been playing the lottery together for more than two years after Eisener suggested he and Slate start splitting their tickets.

“He’s won more often than I have,” Eisener said, with a laugh.

Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday with two multi-million jackpots available to be won. The classic jackpot is always set at $5 million and the Gold Ball jackpot starts at $10 million and can grow past $60 million. The Gold Ball draw guarantees a winning ticket on every draw, with the winner taking home $1 million if a white ball is drawn or the growing Gold Ball jackpot when a gold ball is drawn. A white ball was drawn on the July 12 draw, leading to Slate and Eisener’s $1-million win.

Slate said he realized he’d won another big prize after scanning his Lotto 6/49 ticket on the Atlantic Lottery mobile app on his phone. His wife told him to call Eisener right away.

“As soon as you see the validation that says $1 million, you know it’s real,” Slater said. “We sort of shocked Bill when we called him.”

Eisener said he didn’t know what to expect getting a call that early in the morning.

“My wife was going berserk, it freaked me out until the reality set in there,” he said. “I haven’t grasped it yet.”

Already retired, Eisener plans to use some of his winnings to purchase a new truck, while Slate has dreams of exploring North America with his wife.

“Get a travel trailer and go west. I’ve never been cross-country. I’ve been to Edmonton and B.C., but not across. And hopefully down through the States and come back to the East Coast,” he said, adding that more than anything the win will provide peace of mind. “It’s just nice to know it’s there for the future, because there’s going to be repairs to the house.”

The winning Lotto 6/49 ticket was purchased at Wilson’s in Shediac, N.B. The retailer will receive a one per cent seller’s prize.
 

-30-

Media Contact:
Greg Weston
Atlantic Lottery Communications Strategist
(506) 867-5800 ext. 5569
greg.weston@alc.ca
1-800-561-3942

BACKGROUNDER:

• Lotto 6/49 holds draws every Wednesday and Saturday with two multi-million jackpots available to be won.
  
  
• Each $3 ticket includes one Classic Draw selection of six numbers players can choose or use Insta Pik to have the numbers selected for them, and a 10-digit computer generated Gold Ball Draw number.
  
  
• The Classic Jackpot is always set at $5 million.
  
  
• The Gold Ball Jackpot starts at $10 million and can grow past $60 million.
  
  
• The Gold Ball draw guarantees a winning ticket on every draw. The winner of the Gold Ball draw will take home either $1 million, or the growing Gold Ball jackpot.
  
  
• For $1 each, players can add TAG and Atlantic 49. These add-on games give you additional chances to win and are only available in Atlantic Canada.