$46 million LOTTO 6/49 winner plans to pay off ex-wife’s mortgage

Earl Giesbrecht plans to use a record-setting $46 million LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot to pay off his ex-wife’s mortgage, buy a house and help his children.

Giesbrecht, of Whitemouth, Manitoba, won the jackpot in the May 16, 2026, draw. The Western Canada Lottery Corporation said the prize was the largest LOTTO 6/49 award ever won in Manitoba.

The winning ticket was purchased at First Stop Grocers, located at 115 Railway Avenue in Whitemouth. The local purchase connected the record jackpot to the eastern Manitoba community where Giesbrecht lives.

Giesbrecht did not initially realize the scale of the win. After checking the ticket, he believed it showed a $46,000 prize until a cashier explained that the amount was actually $46 million. He then called his brother after discovering what had happened.

One of his first financial priorities is his former spouse’s mortgage. Giesbrecht intends to pay it off because he and his ex-wife were together for many years and remain in contact.

His plans also include purchasing a house and helping his children with the winnings. Giesbrecht said his children and children-in-law would be able to receive new vehicles of their choosing.

The winner also wants the jackpot to benefit Whitemouth beyond his family. He planned to contribute to the Whitemouth Fire Department’s effort to obtain a new water tanker, with the suggested name Big E.

Before the win, Giesbrecht was semi-retired and was considering whether to retire fully. The jackpot now gives him room to weigh that decision while putting his plans for family and his hometown into action.

The $46 million prize remains Manitoba’s largest LOTTO 6/49 win, according to the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

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