A lucky winner has come forward to claim the Edmonton Oilers’ record-setting Aug. 7 50/50 draw.
On Monday night, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation announced Daryl Tyrlik as the raffle winner of the $14.1 million jackpot.
Tyrlik, who held the winning ticket (A-37051557), will keep $7,088,425 while the rest of the jackpot will be distributed by the EOCF to organizations focused on vulnerable populations in downtown Edmonton and youth sports throughout northern Alberta.
The EOCF had been waiting for someone to claim the prize after announcing the winning ticket number on Aug. 28.
READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers finally draw 50/50 winner Friday after 3-week delay
The popularity of the Oilers’ 50/50 draw soared before the hockey team failed to secure a spot in the first round of the NHL playoffs, for which Edmonton is one of two hub cities as the league returned to play amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The 50/50 raffle smashed previous records for such draws in North American pro sports.
However, the surge in demand for 50/50 tickets — all of which had to be purchased online — saw the site handling the sales be overwhelmed and people complain of unintentionally purchasing more tickets than they wanted to when they would try buying tickets multiple times after the website timed out on them.
On Aug. 10, the Oilers announced it would be offering refunds for those who bought tickets they didn’t intend to. The EOCF has previously apologized for the draw being delayed, but also noted that the “integrity of the draw and consumer protection has always been our top priority.”
–With files from Global News’ Emily Mertz
Watch below: Some Global News videos about 50/50 draws.
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