‘We’re rich’: Couple now millionaires after playing same lotto numbers for 38 years

After selecting the same numbers on every Lotto 6/49 ticket they've purchased since 1986, a Nova Scotia couple's consistency has finally paid off.

A couple from Nova Scotia say they’re permanently throwing in the towel on housework after waking up $5-million richer on Sunday morning.

Wayne Munro and Jill Clausson-Munro of New Glasgow, which is about 90 minutes outside of Halifax, said they’ve played the same set of numbers on every Lotto 6/49 ticket they bought since 1986. Nearly 40 years later, and their commitment to those lucky digits finally paid off as they were unveiled as the winner of Atlantic Lottery’s $5-million Classic Jackpot during the May 11 draw.

Wayne Munro said he first became aware of the couple’s newfound riches in the middle of the night.

“I have a habit of waking up and the first thing I do is check my lottery tickets because I always said I don’t want to have to go to work if I’m rich,” he said in an Atlantic Lottery release on Thursday.

“So, I looked and Jill’s number came up, so I hollered to her, and I said, ‘We’re rich!'”

His wife, Jill, said the set of numbers they selected for each draw spanning across several decades have a personal meaning for the couple. Those valuable digits hold even more significance now, considering they’ve made them multi-millionaires.

“I will always play those numbers, always. I played them for that long, 39 years,” said Jill Munro, who recently retired from full-time work at a nearby hospital.

She added that she’s relieved knowing she won’t have to endure any financial stress while being assured her son will be taken care of.