Quick Answer: The biggest Lotto Max winner from Alberta is Brian Hoover, who won $70 million in January 2024. December 2024 saw another Albertan claim $40 million. Chase the next jackpot: Play Lotto Max at XO Lotto — new players get a free ticket.
Alberta punches above its weight when it comes to lottery wins. In 2024 alone, the province saw 55 millionaire wins totalling $237.3 million, according to the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). The biggest Lotto Max winner Alberta produced that year took home $70 million — the maximum jackpot available at the time.
This guide covers every major Lotto Max winner from Alberta — the stories behind their wins, how they discovered their life-changing tickets, and what they did with the money. Plus, how you can play for the next jackpot from anywhere in the province through XO Lotto’s lottery platform.
Alberta Lotto Max Winners: Complete Summary
Here’s a look at Alberta’s biggest Lotto Max winners and lottery jackpot wins:
| Winner | Prize | Game | Draw Date | Location | Story |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Hoover | $70,000,000 | Lotto Max | Jan 16, 2024 | Beaverlodge | Dedicated win to late wife |
| Unknown | $40,000,000 | Lotto Max | Dec 3, 2024 | Outside Calgary/Edmonton | Split $80M jackpot with Quebec |
| James Jutzi | $66,000,000 | Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball | June 15, 2024 | Calgary | Quit job immediately |
| Brett McCoy & Robin Walker | $60,000,000 | Lotto Max | Sept 22, 2017 | Peers (Yellowhead County) | Alberta’s largest at the time |
| Austria, Perkins & Wall | $50,000,000 | Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball | Dec 9, 2023 | Calgary | 3 friends, 17 years playing together |
These five wins alone total over $286 million going to Alberta residents. And those are just the headline jackpots — hundreds of smaller millionaire prizes have been claimed across Calgary, Edmonton, and rural Alberta.
$70 Million: Brian Hoover’s “Bittersweet” Win (January 2024)
The biggest Lotto Max winner in Alberta history is Brian Hoover from Beaverlodge, a small town in the Grande Prairie region of northern Alberta.
Hoover matched all seven numbers on the January 16, 2024 draw — 2, 9, 10, 14, 42, 43, and 44 — to claim the full $70 million jackpot. At the time, $70 million was the maximum prize offered on any Canadian lottery game.
But for Hoover, the win was “bittersweet.”
He and his late wife had spent years joking about what they’d do if they won the lottery. She passed away before they could share that dream together. After claiming his prize, Hoover told WCLC he intended to honour her memory.
“We always talked about what we would do if we won the lottery,” Hoover said at his prize claim. “I’m determined to bring some of those ideas to life in her memory.”
His plans included naming a park after his wife and sponsoring local school programs. He also mentioned helping his three children and potentially buying a motorhome to visit a friend in the Yukon.
Hoover purchased his winning ticket at Ace Hardware in Beaverlodge — proof that jackpot-winning tickets don’t only come from big-city retailers. His story remains the benchmark for any future Lotto Max winner Alberta might celebrate.
$40 Million: December 2024’s Lotto Max Winner Alberta Claimed
The most recent major Lotto Max winner from Alberta claimed their prize on December 3, 2024.
That draw featured an $80 million jackpot — the maximum after Lotto Max increased its cap in September 2024. Two tickets matched all seven numbers (9, 14, 21, 26, 29, 32, and 41), splitting the prize between Alberta and Quebec.
The Alberta winner, whose identity hasn’t been publicly revealed as of this writing, purchased their ticket somewhere in the province outside of Calgary and Edmonton. They walked away with $40 million.
The same draw also saw two other Albertans win EXTRA prizes: one matched all seven digits for $250,000, and another matched six for $100,000.
Want to be ready for the next big jackpot? You can play Lotto Max online through XO Lotto without visiting a retailer. Draws happen every Tuesday and Friday.
$60 Million: The “Count the Zeros” Couple (September 2017)
Before Brian Hoover’s record-setting win, Alberta’s largest Lotto Max winner was actually a couple: Brett McCoy and Robin Walker from Peers, a hamlet about 35 kilometres northeast of Edson in Yellowhead County.
The couple matched all seven Lotto Max numbers on the September 22, 2017 draw to win $60 million — the sole winning ticket sold across Canada that night.
Their discovery story became local legend.
Walker had stopped at McLeod Trading Post to buy chicken feed. On a whim, she grabbed their lottery tickets from the glove compartment and scanned them.
“A whole bunch of numbers came up on the screen,” Walker recalled. “I thought, ‘That can’t be right.’ So I scanned the ticket again.”
She called McCoy inside. “I’m like, ‘Brett, get in here. You got to see this. We won $60,000.'”
The store clerk looked at her and said: “Robin, you have to count the zeros.”
It wasn’t $60,000. It was $60,000,000.
McCoy, a pipeliner, joked at the press conference that Walker “can buy all the chickens she wants now.”
$66 Million: Alberta Lottery Winner James Jutzi Quits His Job (June 2024)
While technically a Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball win rather than Lotto Max, Calgary’s James Jutzi deserves mention among Alberta lottery winners for his record-breaking $66 million jackpot on June 15, 2024.
It was the largest Lotto 6/49 prize ever won in Western Canada.
Jutzi, a longtime handyman, knew exactly what to do when he found out. The first person he called was his boss.
“He thought I was lying,” Jutzi laughed. “He asked if I could come into work. I said: ‘No.'”
His philosophy was simple: “I’ve been working as a handyman since I was a kid. When I found out I’d won, I said, ‘That’s it! No more work!'”
Jutzi’s win reminded Albertans that massive jackpots can happen right here — and that having a plan for that phone call to your boss isn’t such a bad idea. You can check Lotto 6/49 results alongside Lotto Max draws.
$50 Million: Three Alberta Lottery Winners Who Played for 17 Years (December 2023)
Carmen Austria, Gary Perkins, and Catherine Wall — three Calgary friends and former coworkers — proved that patience pays off when they split a $50 million Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot in December 2023.
The trio had been buying tickets together for 17 years.
“Buying tickets was just a fun thing for us to do,” Perkins said. “Winning together is what makes it so special.”
Each walked away with approximately $16.6 million after Austria purchased the winning $10 ticket at Scenic Acres Husky in Calgary.
Their reaction? Immediate action.
“I wasted no time,” Perkins said. “I was at the Ford dealership the next day. Got a new truck eight days later.”
Wall described the emotional rollercoaster: “I don’t think anything prepares you for that much emotion. And now, I just feel happy and grateful.”
When asked to sum up how winning $50 million feels, all three agreed: “Freedom, peace, and joy.”
Their win made history as the first Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot ever won in Alberta — and in the entire Prairies.
Alberta Lottery Stats: 2024 Lotto Max Winners & More
According to WCLC’s year-end report, 2024 was exceptional for Alberta lottery players. The province crowned multiple Lotto Max winners, with Alberta contributing significantly to Canada’s lottery success stories:
| Metric | 2024 Total |
|---|---|
| Millionaire wins in Alberta | 55 |
| Total prize money to Albertans | $237.3 million |
| Calgary wins | 22 prizes ($108.3M) |
| Edmonton wins | 12 prizes ($23M+) |
| Largest single prize | $70M (Beaverlodge) |
The province’s 55 new millionaires were part of 85 total millionaire wins across Western and Northern Canada in 2024. Check all lottery results to see the latest winning numbers.
How to Become the Next Lotto Max Winner Alberta Celebrates
You don’t need to visit a gas station to play Lotto Max. Albertans 18+ can purchase tickets online through platforms like XO Lotto.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Create Your Account
Visit XO Lotto’s sign-up page and register. It takes about two minutes. New players can get a free Lotto Max ticket just for signing up.
Step 2: Pick Your Numbers
Choose seven numbers from 1-50, or let the system generate a Quick Pick. Each $5 play gets you three sets of numbers.
Step 3: Add EXTRA (Optional)
For an additional $1, add EXTRA for a chance at $250,000 by matching a 7-digit number.
Step 4: Confirm Before the Draw
Lotto Max draws happen every Tuesday and Friday at 10:30 PM ET. Make sure your ticket is purchased before the cutoff.
Step 5: Check Results
XO Lotto notifies you automatically if you win. You can also check Lotto Max results on the site or browse all lottery results.
Playing online means no lost tickets, automatic number checking, and secure storage of your entries. If you match those winning numbers, you’ll know immediately.
Lotto Max Winner Alberta: What Happens When You Win
If you’re the next big Lotto Max winner in Alberta, here’s what to expect:
Claiming Your Prize
Prizes up to $1,000 can be claimed at any lottery retailer. For larger wins, you’ll contact WCLC’s Player Care line at 1-800-665-3313 to start your claim.
Jackpot winners typically visit WCLC headquarters for a formal prize claim interview. You have one year from the draw date to claim your prize.
Taxes on Lottery Winnings
Good news for Alberta lottery winners: lottery winnings are tax-free in Canada. That $70 million? You keep all $70 million.
However, any investment income earned on your winnings (interest, dividends, capital gains) is taxable going forward.
Staying Anonymous
In Alberta, lottery winners can choose whether to participate in publicity. Some winners, like Brian Hoover, share their stories publicly. Others, like the December 2024 $40 million Lotto Max winner Alberta produced, keep their identity private.
For more on what to expect, check out our guide on how to claim lottery winnings in Canada.
Lotto Max Odds: Your Real Chances of Becoming an Alberta Winner
Understanding the odds helps you play smarter — whether you dream of becoming the next Lotto Max winner Alberta celebrates.
| Prize | Match | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Jackpot ($10M-$80M) | 7/7 | 1 in 33,294,800 |
| Second Prize (~$200K) | 6/7 + Bonus | 1 in 4,756,400 |
| Third Prize (~$2,600) | 6/7 | 1 in 113,248 |
| Any Prize | Various | 1 in 7 |
Your overall odds of winning something are about 1 in 7. Not bad for a $5 ticket.
When the jackpot reaches $50 million, Maxmillions ($1 million supplementary prizes) are added to each draw. The December 2024 draw that paid out a Lotto Max winner in Alberta had 29 Maxmillions available.
For a deeper dive, read our Lotto Max odds explainer.
Ready to Play for the Next Alberta Jackpot?
Every Lotto Max winner from Alberta started with a ticket. Brian Hoover bought his at a hardware store. The McCoy-Walker couple grabbed theirs while buying chicken feed. James Jutzi picked his up somewhere in Calgary.
The next draw could change your life.
Sign up at XO Lotto and get a free Lotto Max ticket to start. Draws happen every Tuesday and Friday — with jackpots that can reach $80 million.
Check the current Lotto Max jackpot and play from anywhere in Alberta. No retailer visit required. Learn more about XO Lotto and why thousands of Canadians trust us with their lottery plays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the biggest Lotto Max winner from Alberta?
Brian Hoover from Beaverlodge holds the record as the biggest Lotto Max winner Alberta has ever seen, winning $70 million on January 16, 2024. At the time, this was the largest prize offered on any Canadian lottery game. Hoover dedicated his win to his late wife and plans to honour her memory through community contributions.
Has anyone from Alberta won Lotto Max recently?
Yes. In December 2024, an Alberta ticket holder became the latest Lotto Max winner, claiming $40 million as part of an $80 million jackpot split with a Quebec winner. The ticket was purchased outside of Calgary and Edmonton. Two other Albertans won EXTRA prizes of $250,000 and $100,000 in the same draw.
Where was the $70 million Lotto Max winner from?
The $70 million Lotto Max winner was from Beaverlodge, Alberta — a small town in the Grande Prairie region of northern Alberta. Brian Hoover purchased his winning ticket at Ace Hardware in Beaverlodge.
How many lottery millionaires did Alberta have in 2024?
Alberta produced 55 new lottery millionaires in 2024, with total prize money of $237.3 million. Calgary accounted for 22 of those wins ($108.3 million), while Edmonton saw 12 winners claim over $23 million. This included multiple Lotto Max winners from Alberta.
Can I play Lotto Max online in Alberta?
Yes. Albertans 18+ can play Lotto Max online through XO Lotto. You can purchase tickets, check results, and manage your plays without visiting a physical retailer. New players can claim a free Lotto Max ticket when signing up.
Do you pay taxes on lottery winnings in Alberta?
No. Lottery winnings are tax-free in Canada, including Alberta. You keep the full jackpot amount. However, any investment income you earn on your winnings (interest, dividends) is subject to normal taxation.
What are the odds of winning Lotto Max?
The odds of winning the Lotto Max jackpot are 1 in 33,294,800. However, your odds of winning any prize are approximately 1 in 7. When jackpots exceed $50 million, additional Maxmillions prizes ($1 million each) are added to the draw.
How long do I have to claim a Lotto Max prize in Alberta?
You have one year from the draw date to claim any lottery prize in Alberta as a Lotto Max winner.
Related Guides
- Lotto Max Canada: Complete Guide to Playing
- Lotto Max Odds Explained: Your Real Chances
- Biggest Canadian Lottery Winners 2025
- Browse All Lotteries at XO Lotto
- Explore the XO Lotto Blog
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