SUDBURY -- Debbie and Cleo Mainville of Sudbury are the February winners of Health Sciences North's 50/50 lottery, taking home a total of $388,490.

“I was totally shocked to get the call -- I thought it was a joke,” Debbie said in a news release Wednesday. "Then Cleo thought the same thing when I called him. I bought tickets twice this month but even so, you still never expect to win.”

Debbie and Cleo were motivated to start purchasing tickets after their friends, Larry and Jane Fisher, won the first HSN Cash Lottery for the North jackpot in June 2020.

When asked how they plan to spend their winnings, they joked it wouldn’t be “anything exciting.”

“We’ve got a mortgage to pay off and some renovations we have been planning to make, so that’s definitely going to be part of it,” said Debbie.

“I was thrilled to talk to Debbie yesterday morning and even happier to meet her and Cleo in person to see their excitement,” Anthony Keating, president and chief development officer of foundations and volunteer groups at HSN.

'So astonishing'

“It’s always so astonishing to watch the jackpot climb higher and higher with each month. Beyond giving away a life-changing prize to a lucky winner, it’s also helping us continue to support the top priority needs at HSN. So even if you’re not the big winner, we’re all winners when we have access to the best quality healthcare close to home.”

With the March draw, HSN said it is channeling the luck of the Irish and offering ticket purchasers 17 additional tickets with a $40 ticket purchase.

Additionally, Win More Wednesdays continue with larger cash prizes. Every Wednesday through March, early ticket purchasers are entered to win an early bird prize in addition to the grand prize jackpot.

The new monthly draw is already live at www.hsn5050.ca. This month’s grand prize jackpot is already above $100,000.

The jackpot is updated online in real-time and grows as more people participate. Each month, half of the total ticket sales support patient care at HSN and the other half goes to one winner.

"Funds raised will make a difference in the lives of those living with cancer, how the tiniest patients receive specialized pediatric care and ensuring equipment is in place when needed to provide quality patient care," the release said.

"Most recently, the foundations at HSN were able to purchase a fleet of new defibrillators for the emergency department and other critical care departments at the hospital."

Tickets for the next draw are available to purchase right now, with sales ending at 11:59 p.m. on March 31. The jackpot-winning ticket will be drawn April 1 at 10 a.m. and posted online at www.hsn5050.ca.