‘First thing I thought of was the truck,’ says $44M Saskatchewan lotto winner

A tailgate celebration was held in Saskatoon to celebrate Saskatchewan’s newest multimillionaire, Doug Putland, who won a $44-million lottery jackpot. Putland, who resides in Prince Albert, purchased his ticket in Rosthern while en route to support his beloved Saskatchewan Roughriders. After discovering that his ticket was the winning one from the August draw, Putland expressed his excitement by exclaiming, "the first thing I thought of was the truck."

His dream vehicle, a GMC Denali Ultimate, is now his. Putland plans to share the money with his family, consisting of 14 members, and also intends to donate some of it to charity. As one of 14 children, Putland emphasized the overwhelming impact of being able to provide a head start for his daughters and future generations, eliminating the burden of educational debts.

Upon receiving his cheque, Putland was presented with a personalized Roughriders jersey bearing his name and an autograph from quarterback Trevor Harris. He intends to wear the jersey to all future games and will continue tailgating at Roughriders matches in his new, sound-equipped Denali. Notably, Putland's prize marks the largest lottery win in Saskatchewan since 2022, when a $70 million jackpot was awarded by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.