May 18, 2022

Winnipeg
11° C, Light rain

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • Community Review East
    • Community Review West
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
    • Manitoba's Top Employers
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • The Star
  • Reader BridgeNEW
  • WFP EventsNEW
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Free Press Community Review
    • All Free Press Community Review News
    • East Edition
    • West Edition
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • LifestylesNEW
    • All Lifestyles
    • Business Hub
    • Community
    • Drink & Dine
    • Life
    • Wellness
    • Whiskers & Wings
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photo and Book store
  • More

©2022 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Federal Election
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photo and Book store
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Day Pass
    • Support Faith coverage
    • Support Arts coverage
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • Community Review East
    • Community Review West

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Free Press Community Review News
    • East Edition
    • West Edition
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
The Free Press

ABOVE THE FOLD

Subscribe
Articles Read Your Balance +tax

Winnipeg pastor collects $1.1-M prize after Jets star scores five goals in one game

By: Bill Redekop  | Posted: 7:00 PM CST Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018
Last Modified: 6:10 AM CST Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 | Updates

Scroll
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Save to Read Later

By the time pastor Chris Haley learned late Saturday he'd won $1 million because Winnipeg Jets winger Patrik Laine had scored five goals in a single NHL game, he'd already written his sermon for the next morning.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/11/2018 (1266 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

By the time pastor Chris Haley learned late Saturday he'd won $1 million because Winnipeg Jets winger Patrik Laine had scored five goals in a single NHL game, he'd already written his sermon for the next morning.

The topic was money.

"Oddly enough, I was all prepared. The sermon was on money. The love of money is the root of all evil. You can't fall in love with it," Haley said Wednesday at media event at the Safeway River East store on Henderson Highway where he and his wife, Karen, do most of their grocery shopping.

Haley won the Sobeys Safeway Score & Win contest that pays out $1 million if a Jets player scores five or more goals in a single game. The grocery giant's customers are automatically entered into the contest with a swipe of their Air Miles card. The name of one shopper eligible for a prize is drawn before each regular-season and playoff NHL game.

The contest also pays out $100,000 if a Jets player scores four goals in a game -- Haley's total winnings will be $1.1 million -- and he will also receive $1,000 in Sobeys Safeway gift cards for the hat trick (three goals).

Needless to say, his first purchase won't be a sports car: the first thing the couple plans to buy is new glasses. And don't go calling Haley the "millionaire pastor" -- the money will paid out in $50,000 instalments over 20 years.

"I'm not a millionaire yet," he said.

Karen Haley with her husband Christopher, who won the  $1M Score & Win contest.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Karen Haley with her husband Christopher, who won the $1M Score & Win contest.

Haley didn't watch the game -- an 8-4 win in St. Louis over the Blues -- so there was none of the tension and drama of seeing the goals pile up one by one. He was attending a church event, of course.

When he looked at his cellphone and saw texts asking if he was the Chris Haley in the Score & Win contest being promoted during the TV broadcast, he texted back that he didn't think so.

When he got home, Karen asked if he had something he wanted to tell her: media had been leaving voice messages on their phone.

Shortly after 10 p.m., a contest representative phoned, checked to see if he had the matching Air Miles card number, and confirmed he had won. Haley later put the finishing touches on next day's sermon for Berean Baptist Church in North Kildonan.

Scott Chollak, vice-president of retail operations, presented the prize to the Haleys.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Scott Chollak, vice-president of retail operations, presented the prize to the Haleys.

He said he wasn't ready to talk publicly about the life-changing event, however. In part, he was having trouble believing it was real.

"My personality is, 'Don't go crazy. Just keep your feet on the floor.' My wife and I have talked a lot about that the last couple of days. Just keep on keeping on. Let's not go off the deep end."

Haley works a full-time job by day, and spends nights and weekends doing pastor work -- "It's a small church, and they couldn't afford to pay me a salary" -- and rarely has time to watch a Jets game. He said he is more likely to listen to the broadcasts on his car radio while travelling between church meetings.

Haley was invited to attend the Jets-Pittsburgh Penguins game Tuesday at Bell MTS Place, and said he was touched by a pre-game meeting with Laine's mother. "She came up and she was hugging my wife and she was crying. She was such a sweet lady."

He also got to meet Laine after the game, and thanked him. ("He just said he was thankful to be a part of it," Haley said.)

Winnipeg Gardener

What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. A monthly email from the Free Press with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing.

Sign up for Winnipeg Gardener
Sign Up
Christopher Haley: "My personality is, 'Don't go crazy. Just keep your feet on the floor.'"

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Christopher Haley: "My personality is, 'Don't go crazy. Just keep your feet on the floor.'"

On Wednesday, Haley said: "I'd like to thank God for this. I know some people might not appreciate that, but I'm a pastor and I believe this is a gift from God."

TSN broadcaster Gord Miller emceed the event, pointing out not only did Laine score five goals but he accomplished the feat in the minimum five shots -- something that hasn't happened since NHL legend Wayne Gretzky did the same in 1984.

Haley was handed a giant, cardboard $1.1-million cheque at the ceremony.

"For a grocery retailer, it feels like the Stanley Cup for me," said Scott Chollak, Sobeys Safeway vice-president of retail operations.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca

History

Updated on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 6:10 AM CST: Corrects typo

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Save to Read Later
  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund
  • The Free Press is certified by

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Top