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Lottery winner forced to wait 2 months to claim 6/49 prize

Ivan Dubinsky is set to let his career go dark after winning the lottery.
lottery winner lighthouse
Ivan Dubinsky has been a lighthouse keeper for more than 20 years, but says he will call it a career after matching all 10 numbers in the Lotto 6/49 November 27, 2019 draw to win the $1 million Guaranteed Prize. Contributed photo

Ivan Dubinsky is set to let his career go dark after winning the lottery.

Dubinsky has been a lighthouse keeper for more than 20 years, but says he will call it a career after matching all 10 numbers in the Lotto 6/49 November 27, 2019 draw to win the $1 million Guaranteed Prize.

For Dubinsky, it’s a career that is also a full-time lifestyle of looking after a lighthouse near Port Hardy, sending critical weather reports to aircrafts and ships nearby. As a result of this full-time commitment, Dubinsky purchases his lottery tickets on PlayNow.com.

“It’s difficult to buy lottery tickets when you’re at the lighthouse all the time,” said Dubinsky. “You have to be granted leave, and there’s not too many lighthouse keepers available these days.”

Dubinsky, who began playing the lottery this past fall, found out he won the life-changing prize via an e-mail notification from PlayNow.com.

“When I got that e-mail, I couldn’t believe my eyes, I wasn’t sure whether to believe it or not,” he said.

Though Dubinsky was unable to get leave from the lighthouse for two months prior to coming to BCLC’s Vancouver office to claim his prize, he now has a much more relaxing lifestyle ahead.

“I’ll slowly begin the retirement process, give some of my winnings to my brothers and sisters, and possibly buy a home in the north part of Vancouver Island,” said Dubinsky, adding “Though I may still want to be a relief lighthouse keeper.”