"Crying and laughing!" Retiree calls bestie immediately after finding out she won $1 million

After 10 years of trying her luck at the lottery, a Brantford, Ontario, resident is finally celebrating her big win — a million freaking dollars.

When Karen Carmichael bought her first Instant Majestic ticket, she won $100. That was the sign that she needed to play again.

Instant Majestic is an OLG game available for $10 per play. The top prize is $1 million, and the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.59.

A ticket bought at a Circle K in Brantford sealed Karen’s good luck.

On Friday, June 14, the lottery lover visited Toronto’s OLG Prize Centre to collect her comically large cheque and share the story of her biggest win to date.

“I was watching TV while scratching my ticket. The last number I revealed was 13, and it matched my Lucky Number!” Karen stated. She was completely awestruck.

“I kept looking around the room and thought, ‘I need to go to the store!’”

The winner called her best friend as soon as she confirmed that she had won.

“She started crying and laughing! She was so thrilled for me,” shared Karen.

The best friend’s daughter was equally ecstatic to hear the news. Carmichael says she picked up the phone and asked, “What? Did Karen win a million dollars?”

“We all had a good laugh. I think [the best friend] may have been even happier than I was,” Karen added, smiling.

With a prize so enormous come some matching plans.

Karen is thinking of buying a new car and investing in her future. She also said she wanted to share the prize money with her children.

Recent major lottery wins

Last week was a wild ride for Canadian lottery players.

A Lotto Max draw took place on Friday, June 14, and the winning numbers were 05, 11, 29, 31, 38, 39, 49, and bonus 41. After they matched all seven winning numbers, a lucky lottery player became $55 million richer. According to PlayNow, the winning ticket was sold in Milton, Ontario.

The Lotto 6/49 top prize also swelled to $66 million, and a draw on Saturday finally saw a player hit the Gold Ball jackpot.

According to the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), someone in Calgary matched the winning Gold Ball number (25057749-01).

All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, you can find resources here.

With files from Daily Hive’s Isabelle Docto Irish Mae Silvestre