Winnipeg woman scratches out a $1 million living

Published: November 15, 2006 | 5047th good news item since 2003

BEV Wiebe was grinning from ear to ear when she was introduced as Manitoba’s latest millionaire.

“It’s truly been surreal,” Wiebe, 47, said Tuesday afternoon during a news conference organized by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

Wiebe has become Manitoba’s fourth SET FOR LIFE winner during the past five months, scratching the $5 card to reveal the three correct symbols earning her the top $1 million prize. [The Insider's Guide Instant Win Tickets Pulltabs: How to Win! How to Sell! How to Profit]

“I could barely sleep last night,” Wiebe said.

Wiebe, a social worker with Child and Family Services, had bought her winning scratch ticket at the Shell station on Provencher Boulevard late Monday night. She said it wasn’t a straightforward purchase.

Wiebe said she bought two $5 scratch tickets, winning five dollars on the second purchase which she cashed in for another $5 scratch ticket, but the third was worthless.

“I turned to leave and was literally half-way out the door when I thought ‘why not buy one more?,” Wiebe said. “It was the last SET FOR LIFE ticket under the glass on the counter.

“I scratched one row and found one Life symbol. I scratched the second row and found another Life symbol. I scratched the third row and found the third Life symbol.

“I could barely contain my excitement,” she said.

Contrary to many people’s fantasies about what they would do if they won the lottery, Wiebe said she did absolutely nothing.

There’ve been no spontaneous shopping sprees, no impulsive purchases. She went directly to her St. Boniface home after scratching the winning ticket, called her parents and a couple of good friends and let them know about her fantastic turn of fortune. And then stayed up all night with excitement.

Instead of going to work Tuesday morning, she called her office and said she wouldn’t be in. She then called the Western Canada Lottery office to inform them she held a winning SET FOR LIFE scratch ticket. [Winning The Lottery In Your Spare Time: (With Very Little Money)]

Wiebe came to the afternoon conference accompanied by her parents and four close friends. She was impeccably dressed. Her reddish tinted hair was set off nicely with a green leather jacket, black top and silver necklace. She’s single, never been married, with no children. She owns her own modest home in St. Boniface.

Wiebe said she has no plans on how to spend her $1 million but doesn’t expect to quit her job.

Published in Sudden Wealth
See also: www.winnipegfreepress.com