A few minutes is all it takes to find someone buying a lottery ticket at the Husky convenience store in Burns Lake.
The store made headlines on April 25 when CBC reported that people in Burns Lake win the B.C. 50/50 draw 100 times more than statistics would predict. One local man is said to have won 22 times.
And the Husky station claims to be top seller of winning 50/50 tickets in the province.
John William agreed that it’s a lucky spot — along with the nearby Sne C’al Yegh Gas Bar at Lake Babine First Nation and the Rainbow Gas Bar on Highway 16.
The lucky tickets are “always here,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”
But not everyone has tapped into the supposed Burns Lake charm. “He didn’t sell me a winning ticket,” said Wilfred Charlie, referring to the Husky convenience store clerk. “We spend lots.”
Indeed, claims that Burns Lake is blessed with special good fortune likely stem from high volumes of tickets sold.
The town reportedly accounts for 4.4 percent of all B.C. 50/50 draws — and tickets purchased in Burns Lake represent 4.9 percent of wins.
But as they say, you can’t win if you don’t play.
