Okanagan woman wins $1-million lottery prize thanks to ‘free play’

A free play paid off for an Okanagan resident.

Anne Schmiedel of Summerland couldn’t believe it after learning her free play for the Lotto 6/49 draw on December 15, 2021 resulted in her winning the $1-Million Guaranteed Prize.

“I got a free play from my [previous] ticket, and that free play was what actually won the million,” Schmiedel explained. “I wasn’t sure if it was real or not. My husband and I told one group of friends and they thought we were joking.”

Schmiedel purchased her ticket on PlayNow.com and was with her husband at home when she checked her e-mail and found that she had won.

“I was in my living room, and I saw in my e-mail that I won a prize. I thought ‘okay, it’s probably one dollar.’ I showed my husband, and we were checking the numbers. He said ‘no, those aren’t your numbers,’ but then he figured out the Guaranteed Prize and ours matched.”

Schmiedel plans on sharing some of her winnings with family, donating some to charity, and saving for retirement.

In 2021, B.C. lottery players won more than $99 million playing Lotto 6/49.