Merritt man planning trip after winning half million dollar lotto prize

Photo: BCLC

Richard Carmichael

A Merritt man who won big on a lotto ticket says he will be taking a trip to the states to celebrate.

Richard Carmichael said he will be heading down to the Oregon Coast after winning the $500,000 Daily Grand prize from the Oct. 3 draw.

According to BCLC, Carmichael bought his ticket from the Pharmasave on Garcia Street— the same place he found out he had won.

“I didn’t believe it was true when she told me,” Carmichael said, recalling the moment the retailer told him he was a winner.

“It doesn’t seem real… you don’t expect it to be you and all of a sudden it is.”

Aside from a road trip to Oregon, Carmichael plans to enjoy some camping trips and invest some of his winnings.

“It’s more or less a safety net,” he said.

“It’s unbelievable and exciting! I was quite excited in the beginning and after I calmed down a bit it’s still hard to believe.”