A Calgary man who won $40 million says he will donate it all to charity.

Tom Crist was the winner of the Lotto Max jackpot on May 3.

“Cancer is a big one because my wife passed away from cancer, two years ago in February,” Crist said Monday.

“I just retired at the end of September so I was fortunate enough in my career to set myself up and my kids anyway, and there was no doubt in my mind where that money was going to go, it was going to go to charity."

Crist plays both Lotto Max and Lotto 6-49 by subscription, meaning players can pay for their selections for up to a year at a time.

Subscribers’ numbers are checked for them by the Western Canada Lottery Corp. after each draw and they are automatically paid any prizes won.

In the case of any prize over $10,000, subscribers receive a telephone call first.

Crist says he never expected a call telling him he'd won the largest lotto prize ever in Calgary.

“I wasn’t even sure which game I’d won on, or what the numbers were,” he said after his prize was announced Monday. “I’ve paid for the subscription when I get the renewal notice every year, and then I just file it.

"Sometimes I’d get a cheque for $10 or $20, but I never expected this.”

Crist's prize is also the largest won on a lottery subscription within the Prairie-North lotteries region.

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