Merritt resident wins record-breaking Keno prize

A Merritt man has won the largest Keno prize ever at a retail location in BC, winning exactly $400,052.50.

Patrick Lamour, who bought the winning ticket from the Merritt Shell on DeWolf Way, said he couldn’t believe the ticket and had to double check to be sure.

“I was at the store checking the ticket and I thought something was wrong with the machine, I scanned it at a self-checker and then had the retailer scan it as well to be sure.”

The first thing Lamour had to do was let his family know of his record setting accomplishment.

“I called my daughter and son right away. They were more excited than I was!”

The Merritt resident, who started playing Keno last year, credits his children as part of the reason he was able to win as he enjoys using his children’s birthdays to choose his numbers and plays about once a month.

Since part of his inspiration is his children’s birthdays, it only seems fitting he celebrates with them as Lamour said he plans to have a celebratory meal with his kids and will gift them part of his prize, after that he says he will take his time figuring out what to do with the rest.