Edmonton has emerged as the luckiest major city on the Canadian Prairies and in the northern territories for lottery players scoring big in 2025. According to new data, winners from Alberta's capital who claimed prizes of $1 million or more took home the largest total sum in the region.
Edmonton Outpaces Calgary in Total Winnings
The latest figures from Lotto Spot and the Western Canadian Lottery Corporation (WCLC), which administers games in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the territories, reveal a fascinating trend. Edmontonians claimed seven major prizes worth a combined $39.5 million out of a regional total of $219.6 million. This gave the city the top spot for total winnings among large urban centres.
While Edmonton led in dollar value, its provincial rival saw more individual winners. Calgary produced 14 new millionaires, but their combined prizes totaled $24 million. Emily Olsen of Lotto Spot noted that the two cities are often close competitors due to their similar population sizes, but this year's pattern aligns with a two-decade trend.
A Twenty-Year Trend of Luck
Statistics spanning from 2004 to the present solidify Edmonton's position as a high-value lottery hub. Over that period, 133 millionaires from Edmonton have collected a staggering $727 million. In comparison, Calgary's 149 millionaires won a combined $549 million during the same timeframe.
"We deal in possibility, and in what's possible," Olsen remarked. "Anything that is possible can happen." This philosophy was certainly proven by a remarkable winning streak in Lethbridge, where one longtime player defied incredible odds by winning three major prizes within just nine months, a feat that surprised even lottery officials.
Quirky Characters and a Record Jackpot
The year's winners were not short on personality. Near Edmonton, in Spruce Grove, a winner named Peter Woloshyn made a memorable impression. When he called to arrange his winner's interview, he asked what to wear. He then arrived fully dressed as Elvis Presley, complete with jewels and sunglasses, to claim his $1 million Lotto Max prize. "I haven't seen anything quite like that," Olsen recalled.
Despite Edmonton's strong showing, the single largest win of the year came from outside the major cities. A couple from Grande Prairie cashed a ticket worth a massive $54 million jackpot. Interestingly, they purchased the ticket in December 2024, waited through the holidays, and finally claimed their life-changing prize in February 2025.
The data highlights not just where luck strikes, but the diverse and unexpected stories that come with every major lottery win across Western and Northern Canada.
