An Ottawa-area couple who won almost $50M with a lottery ticket, have already indulge in car, mansion, diner renovations, and other expenses. State lottery

The lucky is so eager to claim their prize at the end of the month after passing a provincial review that they are spending much of their life savings.

The winners, Jo Ann Champagne, 49, and her husband Gaétan, 51, of Hawkesbury, Ont., just east of Ottawa, have to wait, in their case, until Feb. 29 to officially claim their winnings in Toronto following an Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation investigation.

And Jo Ann Champagne is already blaming her husband for the premature spending spree in anticipation of claiming their $50-million lottery prize. Lotteries

The reason why the review was required is because in the case of this couple, they used to own a convenience store. They have already leaped the first two hurdles Jan. 31 and have to wait the mandatory 30 days before they get their $50 million.

But the two have already made quite some expenses as they wait for the money to come. One example is that they have already put $25,000 into renovating their son’s diner, Resto Hawkesbury.

And the renovations haven’t come cheap as the new look features checkered floors, leather seats and a jukebox.

“It’s really exciting, I can’t tell you how, inside, sometimes you want to yell, scream,” Gaétan said.

But, this restaurant is just the start of their expenses, because they have engaged in much more expensive endevours.

So far, the Champagnes have also purchased an $80,000 Lincoln Continental and made a down payment on a $900,000, to a 13-bedroom dream home — a mansion with a waterfront view near Hawkesbury.

According to the Champagnes, the purchase of this new Lincoln Continental for $80,000 was made with part of their life savings.

But why all these sudden luxuries, if they don’t even have the money yet?

The culprit behind this eager spending spree is Gaétan, his wife accused.

“That’s my husband. That’s OK, we know it’s coming,” she said with a laugh.

The two have already received many requests of people look for a share of their winnings. They say, they have received even letters from strangers, and of those was of one man who even flew from Japan seeking a $2-million investment on a low-flush toilet invention.

But for the Champagnes it is clear, they said if they share any money, it would be with their friends and others in Hawkesbury.

As to buying more lottery tickets, they say that won’t change. As they admit they can’t stop buying lottery tickets, after 30 years, they said it was a habit they can’t kick.

So Congratulations to the Champagnes! Let’s hope their money comes really soon so, they can pay their bills and also start saving some of it for their future, not every day that you can get lucky enough to win $50M or close to it.