IRMA, Alta. — A small community southeast of Edmonton is abuzz after learning one of its residents is a $50-million lottery winner.
A retired woman from a farm family in Irma found out she'd won Friday's Lotto Max prize when she checked her ticket at the village Co-op store.
The winner is asking for her privacy for now, but there was no stopping villagers from talking about the big win.
Kent Erickson, who was in the store when the woman turned in her winning ticket, says everyone was in shock.
He says the young worker behind the counter went to get the manager to double-check the numbers.
Irma has about 500 residents.
"The young lady (behind the counter) said, 'I'm pretty sure you just won, but I'm going to get my manager and just double-check,'" Erickson said.
"He checked and he kind of laughed and said, 'I don't think we'll be able to pay you out here.'"
John Budd says news travels fast in the small community, about 180 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.
"You think it's always people in cities winning it, bigger places, especially out east."
