Canada lottery winner used the weather to pick numbers
Posted: 1/23/2007 9:51:01 AM
Scarborough's weather can forecast big bucks.
Just ask recent multi-millionaire Robert Medwid, a 39-year-old stucco contractor from Red Deer, Alberta who won almost $14 million on Lotto 6/49.
For the last four years Medwid has played numbers based on Scarborough's weather patterns, because lottery draws take place at the CTV studios near Hwy. 401 and Brimley Road.
How the sun, rain and snow in Scarborough led to the actual numbers Medwid picked remains cloudy but the unorthodox system worked.
Kathleen Polyak of the Alberta Lottery Fund said Medwid's system was unusual, but worked nevertheless.
"He watched the weather and he assessed the weather patterns in Scarborough where Lotto 6/49 is drawn. So he looked at things like climate and humidity and he came up with a way of picking numbers using that method and he used those for four years."
On Nov. 29, the numbers came up, earning him $13.8 million.
Medwid and his partner, Sabrina Lonsberry, a 32-year-old department store claims employee, have declined media interviews.
But in a press release issued last week, Medwid explained his winning strategy.
"A few winters ago, I decided to research the climate, humidity and snowfall on Lotto 6/49 draw nights in Scarborough, Ontario and I chose my numbers based on that information."
The couple, who have faced financial difficulties, usually only buy tickets when the jackpot is estimated at $5 million or more.
Lonsberry was the one who shelled out the money for two tickets — one playing six numbers and a second ticket with four numbers.
She needn't have bothered buying more than that first line on the first ticket because those numbers — 5, 9, 14, 31, 37 and 46 — were the winning combination.
Lonsberry was at a local mall when she heard an Alberta ticket had won the jackpot. She later as Medwid if he had checked their numbers.
"She asked if I had checked our tickets and when I did, I saw the first three numbers (were correct) and then I couldn't look anymore," Medwid said in the release.
"It was hard to believe that all the numbers were there."
Although the news is still sinking in, the couple is paying off some debts and socking some money away for their son's future.
The pair say they are unsure what to do next and are taking leaves of absence from their jobs.
No word, however, if they will continue playing the same numbers with the hopes lightning will strike twice.
The $14 million jackpot is the third-largest lottery prize ever won in Alberta. A $14.9 million prize from a June draw remains unclaimed, although the winning ticket was purchased in Alberta.
The largest ever win in Alberta, and in Canada, was $54 million, in October 2005. That prize was claimed by 17 oil company workers from Camrose, who each pocketed $3 million in the 6/49 draw.
Source: Lottery Post Staff
