Canadian man's secret decision after $71 million lotto win

For 30 long years, landscaper Bon Truong bought lottery tickets, selecting the same numbers every single time.

Finally, his strategy paid off last October when he won a record $CAD60,000,000 ($NZ71,000,000) in a Lotto Max draw.

But while most of us would immediately hand in our resignation and pop the champagne, Mr Truong, from Edmonton in the Canadian province of Alberta, did the exact opposite, reports News.com.au.

He kept his win a secret from everyone — including his family — and continued to turn up to work day in, day out.

But Mr Truong has finally come forward ten months after his win, just shy of the one-year window winners are able to claim their prize within.

At a news conference this week, Mr Truong was handed his cheque, and revealed he had kept his win secret in order to prepare his family for the life-changing news.

The father of three young children said he was stunned when he first realised he had won the day after the numbers were drawn.

"I went to the store and asked the clerk to print off the winning numbers — just to be sure," the 55-year-old told Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

"I took the printout home and stared at the numbers and my ticket for hours that day. I could not believe it.

"I started to think about what this win would mean for my family. I realised it's going to change a lot of things and I wanted to make sure we were all ready and prepared for those changes. So here we are, 10 months later … we're ready."

He said he also kept the news to himself to make sure his children continued working hard.

He also plans to keep his job.

"I'm still young, I'm still strong," he said, according to Global News.

"But right now with the money coming, I will take a lot of time, take care of my family and still work after I've done this.

"After everything is done, I will go back to work."

During the news conference, Mr Truong's adult niece Mina Truong said he had come to Canada "with nothing" in 1980s after the Vietnam War and that he and his wife had worked hard to save money, buy a home and provide "a better life for their children".

Mr Truong said he planned to use his winnings to pay off his bills and mortgage, buy a new home and put money into savings.

He also plans to celebrate by taking his family on a holiday.

"I'm not sure where just yet; I think we'll try to go everywhere," he said.

Mr Truong's lucky numbers were 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 20 and 30 — a combination of important dates and family birthdays that he used for three decades.