When Tanya Skelhorn of Prospect Bay, N.S. bought a Lotto Max ticket for the Aug. 13, 2024 draw, she never could have known it would lead to a $500,000 Maxmillions win that would help bring her closer to home.

After inheriting a plot of land in rural New Brunswick a few years ago, Skelhorn began making plans for retiring to the property in the years ahead.

“I do dream big. I’ve been dreaming for a while,” she said. “I have the family land and so I’m looking to put my dream home there, retire in seven years and move back to my home province of New Brunswick.”

Her dreams of building a ranch-style house in the country got a big boost when she realized her Lotto Max ticket was a winner.

“Just knowing that my dad passed it on to me with the full expectation it wouldn’t be sold and that I could live there, it makes me happy that I can do that now. I can make it happen and that’s exciting.”

Lotto Max draws take place every Tuesday and Friday. Jackpots start at $10 million and grow up to $70 million or until won. Maxmillions are additional $1-million prizes that are drawn when the Lotto Max jackpot reaches $50 million. Skelhorn had the same numbers as another Lotto Max player and so she split her $1-million prize with another winner in Edmonton.

Originally from Fredericton, N.B., Skelhorn also lived in Summerside, P.E.I. before moving to Prospect Bay 24 years ago. A high school vice-principal, one of Skelhorn’s recent graduates was even working at the retailer when she validated the ticket and confirmed her win.

“It was special to be able to share that moment in my community,” she said. “I had goose pimples all up my arms. Everybody that worked there came up.”

Other plans for her winnings include covering tuition for her youngest daughter, who is currently in university, and paying off the student loans of her oldest daughter, who has already graduated.

“It’s really just about being financially stable,” Skelhorn said. “Winning the lottery is never something that you can expect. It is great to dream and hopefully work hard to make those dreams come true, but having this little extra bonus has been exciting.”

A regular player who likes to play Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49 and Set for Life, Skelhorn said she had been buying a few extra tickets while the Lotto Max jackpot was at its $70 million maximum recently. After finding out about her win, she set out on an already planned trip to New Brunswick.

“I was going home to meet family outside Moncton and my mom in Fredericton and I had family flying in from Ontario,” she said, adding with a laugh that one of those family members was a cousin who works as a financial planner.

“I said ‘I need to ask you some advice on some money,’ so she’s going to help me out with that.”

The winning Lotto Max ticket was purchased at the Lacewood Drive Sobeys in Halifax. The retailer will receive a one per cent seller’s prize.