He won R512 million. His first thought? Not what you’d expect.

A Saskatchewan man has become his province’s newest multimillionaire after winning $44 million (roughly R512 million) in the Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot.

His first thought after the win, though, wasn’t about mansions or luxury holidays at all.

a refreshingly down-to-earth reaction

Doug Putland of Prince Albert won the jackpot from the 8 August draw, with the win only celebrated publicly at a tailgate event in Saskatoon on 9 September.

His very first thought? His truck.

Putland bought the winning ticket at a Rosthern Co-op while filling up on his way to cheer on his beloved Saskatchewan Roughriders.

On confirming the win, he said he “dropped the f-bomb” before adding, “holy smokes this is crazy.”

Asked what came to mind first, he didn’t hesitate: “The amazing part is the very first thing I thought of was the truck.” His dream vehicle, a GMC Denali Ultimate, is now officially his.

Coming from a family of 14 children who “had nothing,” Putland said the win felt overwhelming in the best way.

“So, it’s kind of overwhelming in a way to know that I can set up my daughters and generations to come,” he said.

Putland has three daughters and nine grandchildren, and plans to put money toward their education so they never face the schooling debt he grew up without the means to avoid.

how he’s choosing to spend it

Beyond the truck and his family’s future, Putland has a deeply personal plan for part of the winnings.

His cousin recently passed away, and he intends to fix up the local ball diamonds in his hometown and name them in his cousin’s honour, describing him as his best friend.

He’s also planning to travel with friends and family, and was gifted a personalised Riders jersey, autographed by quarterback Trevor Harris, at his celebration tailgate.

I always find these stories genuinely endearing.

A R512 million windfall, and the first thing on his mind was a truck and honouring someone he’d lost. That says a lot about a person, hey.

Funnily enough, it’s exactly what I’d imagine a South African winner thinking too, just swap the truck for a Hilux bakkie.

If you won a jackpot like this, what’s the first thing you’d think of?