Surrey Resident Wins Justin Simporios Record-Breaking $80-Million Lotto Max Jackpot, The Largest Ever By A Single Winner! 

After the recent Lapu Lapu Festival tragedy where many lives were taken, the Filipino community got some good news with one of their own winning the big lottery. Justin Simporios became one of the biggest single winner of a Canadian lottery jackpot on May 9 when he won the $80 million lotto jackpot. Simporios said he  is normally a sound sleeper who “can fall asleep anywhere” – but he had a very sleepless night, after learning he won an $80-million Lotto Max jackpot. 

By PD Raj – Senior Reporter DESIBUZZCanada

SURREY — After the recent Lapu Lapu Festival tragedy where many lives were taken, the Filipino community got some good news with one of their own winning the big lottery.

Justin Simporios became one of the biggest single winner of a Canadian lottery jackpot on May 9 when he won the $80 million lotto jackpot.

Simporios said he  is normally a sound sleeper who “can fall asleep anywhere” – but he had a very sleepless night, after learning he won an $80-million Lotto Max jackpot. 

This is the largest lottery jackpot ever won in B.C. and is also the largest jackpot ever won by a single individual in Canada.  

 “It was 10:30 p.m.,” recalled Simporios of the moment he realized he won. “I saw that someone won $80 million in Surrey. I was joking and told my wife ‘we’re millionaires!’ and she told me to stop making that joke. After, I manually checked each number before scanning on the app. I cried and shouted, ‘we’re millionaires!’” 

The Surrey resident woke up his wife to share the news. “She was in complete disbelief and a bit mad at me because our daughter wasn’t  feeling well.” Simporios’ wife luckily agreed this was a good reason to wake her.  While still in disbelief about his win.

Simporios is ultimately most excited to share his windfall with his family. “I want to help my family and my wife’s family. I’ll pay off my sister’s medical school debt and help my mom retire early – just giving my family a head start in life.”  

Giving back to the community in Surrey and B.C. is also a key priority for Simporios. “I’ve struggled before and needed help. Even if I can give an ounce of happiness, I want to help where we can. This feels like a dream.”  

As an avid LA Lakers fan, Simporios mentioned he would like to see LeBron James play before James retires. He also plans to visit his family in the Philippines for a family reunion. “My wife and kid have never visited!”  

On how it feels to win a record-breaking jackpot?   

 “The biggest change will be having more time with my wife and family. We want to live with a purpose – to help the community around us.”  

Simporios purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart Supercentre in Central City on King George Boulevard in Surrey. 

So far in 2025, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $101 million from Lotto Max. Lotto Max is a nationwide lottery game drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays after 7:30 p.m. (PST).  

Players can purchase tickets at lottery retailers or at PlayNow.com. Winning numbers and group release forms can be found online at www.bclc.com. Players can check their lottery tickets anytime, anywhere on iOS and Android devices. Learn more about  the BCLC Lotto! App here.