Photo: BCLC

Self-professed jokester Mike Jansen of Prince George started buying Daily Grand tickets as a joke to tease his wife. If he won the lottery, he would retire – but that meant she would have to spend a lot more time with him.

On Jan. 29, it was no longer just a joke. Jansen matched all five numbers, plus the "Grand Number," winning the top prize of $1,000 a day for the rest of his life, or a lump-sum payout of $7 million.

“I’m always pulling pranks and cracking jokes, so naturally when I told my wife that I had won the lottery, she didn’t believe me,” said Jansen. “Together, we must have checked the ticket a dozen times.”

He doesn't have plans to retire just yet, but he is truly laughing for the rest of his life.

“The first thing I thought of was how to keep the ticket safe,” he said. “We can’t just leave it on the table. The dogs might eat it!”

Jansen decided to take the lump-sum payout in order to begin living life "grand" right away. He is already planning a month-long vacation to Australia and Europe to relax.

The winning Daily Grand ticket was purchased at Save-On-Foods at Parkwood Place.