JUSTIN Simporios, 35, of Surrey — the winner of B.C.’s $80-million Lotto Max jackpot from the May 9 draw — is normally a sound sleeper who “can fall asleep anywhere” – but he had a very sleepless night, after learning he won.

This is the largest lottery jackpot ever won in B.C. and is also the largest jackpot ever won by a single individual in Canada. Justin purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart Supercentre in Central City on King George Boulevard in Surrey.

“It was 10:30 p.m.,” he recalled of the moment he realized he won. “I saw that someone won $80 million in Surrey. I was joking and told my wife ‘we’re millionaires!’ and she told me to stop making that joke. After, I manually checked each number before scanning [using the BCLC Lotto! App]. I cried and shouted, ‘we’re millionaires!’”

Justin woke up his wife to share the news. “She was in complete disbelief and a bit mad at me because our daughter wasn’t feeling well.” His wife luckily agreed this was a good reason to wake her!

While still in disbelief about his win, Justin is ultimately most excited to share his windfall with his family. “I want to help my family and my wife’s family. I’ll pay off my sister’s medical school debt and help my mom retire early – just giving my family a head start in life,” he said.

Giving back to the community in Surrey and B.C. is also a key priority for Justin. He said: “I’ve struggled before and needed help. Even if I can give an ounce of happiness, I want to help where we can. This feels like a dream.”

As an avid LA Lakers fan, Justin mentioned he would like to see LeBron James play before the player retires. He also plans to visit his family in the Philippines for a family reunion. “My wife and kid have never visited!”

On how it feels to win a record-breaking jackpot?

“The biggest change will be having more time with my wife and family. We want to live with a purpose – to help the community around us.”

At the press conference, Justin said he will not leave Surrey. “It’s my lucky city,” he added.