20 Years After Dream, Numbers Lead to $47M Jackpot

After a set of numbers came to her husband in a dream, Deng Pravatoudom played them faithfully in the lottery for 20 years, and last month, she finally won ... another lottery ticket. The numbers on that "Free Play" ticket in Ontario's Lotto Max won a jackpot of $60 million Canadian, or around $47 million US, People reports. Pravatoudom came to Canada from Laos 40 years ago when her family, including her 14 siblings, was sponsored by a church. "My husband and I have worked as general laborers for over 40 years, trying to save what we could for our family," the 57-year-old says in an Ontario Lottery release. "Due to the pandemic I was laid off last spring, so this money will certainly help make our lives much easier."

Pravaoudom, who has two children and two grandchildren, says her husband was the one who checked the tickets and found the winner, CNN reports. "I was ecstatically happy, I was crying at the same time. I couldn't believe it at first," Pravatoudom said during a virtual ceremony. "I am going to buy a house, then if it's allowed after COVID, I'm going to travel the world." But first, she said, she will pay off bills and help her children. She said the children told their parents: "Mom and Dad you have worked so hard for 40 years and made many sacrifices, so you deserve this happiness." (A winning $1 billion Mega Millions ticket was sold in Michigan.)