Quebec man wins $30 million in lottery, says he doesn't want to change

Monday, May 01, 2006 posted 08:53 PM EDT

MONTREAL (CP) - A 48-year-old accountant who has just pocketed more than $30 million after winning a lottery says he's not sure he's going to give any money to his siblings.

Yves Dubeau, an amateur painter for more than 20 years, quit his job Monday and said he wants to open an art gallery where his own paintings and those of his friends can be viewed. Dubeau won $30,011,440, which one Loto-Quebec spokesman called the biggest-ever payout for one person in a Canadian lottery.

Of the amount, Dubeau has decided to invest $30 million for a year, leaving him just more than $11,000 to play around with.

But the childless bachelor, who lives in St-Felix-de-Valois, about 80 kilometres northeast of Montreal, says he can always get a line of credit for his first few big buys - a diamond ring and a new car.

Although Dubeau says he wants to create a foundation to support his brother's missionary work in Africa, the brother and two sisters may not be as fortunate.

"I don't think so," Dubeau replied when asked if he would give them money.

"I have no idea. I don't think so. In the short term, I don't think so. I am the only winner."

Asked the same question later, Dubeau replied: "Usually I'm pretty generous. It's quite possible but everything will depend on my plans."

Dubeau won the Super-7 lottery on Friday and found out about the windfall as he checked the Internet on Saturday morning.

Canada's latest multimillionaire says he wants to stay the same but that it's out of his hands.

"I would like not to change," he said. "Everything will depend on people's behaviour.

"If I can continue to do what I like - painting, playing squash, going to the restaurant Saturday morning, Sunday morning, Monday morning, Tuesday morning, Wednesday morning - without getting bothered, it will be possible."

Dubeau normally spends $3 or $4 on every draw but splashed out $17 or $18 for last Friday's lottery.

He owes a debt of gratitude to an employee of the store where he put on the winning combination. The woman had to put some liquid paper on the sheet to cover some dark smudges before she could get it through.

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