James Hartlin shows off his winnings in Dartmouth on Thursday.
Jim Hartlin, a long-time Dartmouth crossing guard, was presented with a cheque for $9,824,873.50 at the Atlantic Lottery headquarters in Burnside on Thursday after winning the top prize from the Lotto 6/49 draw last Saturday.
Hartlin said he called the automated winning numbers line the very next day and learned his numbers 18,29,31,36,43, and 47 matched the draw.
“I got all six numbers right, one right after the other,” Hartlin joked to Atlantic Lotto’s Emily Hatcher as they stood in front of large blue 649 balloons and media.
Later that Sunday, Hartlin said he was in his laundry room during a load of wash when he called the customer contact centre, and a woman on the other end of the line told him to sit down.
“They told me how much it was, and I thought what? Me? I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it,” Hartlin said.
Hatcher said Hartlin bought the ticket from a Holy Smokes retailer in Dartmouth during the same visit he bought a bright red Team Canada hat from the attached Atlantic Superstore, and now considers it his “lucky hat.”
“Let’s hope,” Hartlin added with a chuckle.
The retailer also wins a 1 per cent commission on the ticket, so $98,000 will go to the store.
A man of few words, Hartlin said he was “excited, very excited” when Hatcher asked about his reaction to the win.
Hartlin said the win allows him to retire from his years as a crossing guard, which he will mostly miss besides the “cold winter days” and rainy winters.
His plans for the winnings so far include buying a new house to live in, and a brand new automobile, Hartlin said.
He’s already met with financial experts who will be giving him some advice on how to properly handle the prize money, Hatcher said.
Although Hartlin declined to talk with any reporters at the event, Atlantic Lottery spokeswoman Carla Bourque said the man many Dartmouth students called “Santa Claus” is excited about the win.
“Jim was … a little bit overwhelmed. Whenever anybody wins a large amount of money it certainly is a life changing event,” Bourque said.
Atlantic Lottery said Jim Hartlin takes home the fourth largest jackpot in recent years. There were two $30 million wins in Newfoundland, a $20 million in New Brunswick in 2014, and $9 million last August in N.B.
– Haley Ryana, Halifax Metro
