Winning the lottery is supposed to be life-changing. For some, it’s a quiet blessing; paying off debts, securing a future, or finally taking that dream vacation. For others, it can be the start of chaos. Relationships shift, money talks get messy, and sometimes, the ones you trust the most turn out to be the ones who run away the fastest.
For Lawrence Campbell of Winnipeg, Canada, winning the Lotto 6/49 was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of his life. Instead, it unraveled into a legal mess, and a heartbreak he never saw coming.
Back in January 2024, Campbell purchased a ticket for the Lotto 6/49 draw. At the time, he was in what he describes in court documents as a “loyal, committed, and promising” relationship with Krystal Ann McKay. When he couldn’t find his wallet, he handed the ticket to McKay to keep it safe, a decision that would cost him millions.
Man claims he snagged a $3.6M lottery win— only to have girlfriend collect the cash and ghost him pic.twitter.com/A4c4matOSo
— Joanna (@Joanna91938795) June 1, 2025
He didn’t even remember buying the ticket until a few days later when he stumbled upon it on the floor of a friend’s house. “That’s when they found out he won, he couldn’t believe it,” the lawsuit states, describing the moment Campbell scanned the barcode with his phone and discovered they had hit the jackpot.
The pair soon confirmed their win, a massive five million Canadian dollars, with a video taken at a local Shoppers Drug Mart. Friends and family were informed. There were celebrations. Dreams began to take shape.
But then came the first twist.
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation, according to the lawsuit, told the couple that Campbell could not collect the winnings himself because he didn’t have a valid government-issued ID. Their solution? McKay should claim the prize on the couple’s behalf.
So, on January 30, 2024, McKay stood in front of cameras holding a giant check made out in her name. “It was really overwhelming, exciting,” she said at the press conference, adding that the ticket had been a birthday gift from Campbell. He chimed in with, “She had been asking me for three weeks to get a ticket, but I never went and got one. Then we drove by one, and I was like, ‘OK, I might as well go get you one right now.’”
Campbell didn’t have a bank account at the time, so the money, all of it, went straight into McKay’s. But according to his lawsuit, what happened next was even more shocking than the win.
In the days following their sudden windfall, McKay never returned to the hotel room they were sharing. Concerned, Campbell went looking for her. The lawsuit states: “That day he set out to visit a few of her known spots where she would party and sure enough after some investigation, he found her; in bed, with another guy.”
According to Campbell’s claim, McKay told him point-blank that she was ending their relationship to be with someone new. Then, just like that, she disappeared. She blocked him on all platforms, refused to return his messages, and even obtained a protection order against him.
Now, Campbell is suing not only McKay but also Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, claiming that he was given poor advice, particularly regarding the consequences of letting McKay sign and claim the ticket.
When love meets lotto… and vanishes.
Lawrence Campbell, trusted his girlfriend to claim $5 million in lottery winnings — because he lacked ID and a bank account.
She claimed the prize.
Then she claimed a new boyfriend. And disappeared.
💔💸— Petter Brett (@BrettPetter) June 2, 2025
McKay’s legal team has pushed back. “Ms. McKay disputes the allegations made against her in the Statement of Claim and will be filing a Statement of Defence,” her lawyer, Conor Williamson, told The Independent.
For Campbell, it’s a bitter twist to what should’ve been a dream come true. Instead of planning how to spend $3.6 million, he’s trying to win it back in court. And in the world of lottery wins, it’s a sharp reminder that while the odds of winning may be low, the risks after winning can be even greater.
