Ontario Lotto Max Winners Bag $50 Million
Friday's $50 Million Lotto Max jackpot was won by a couple from Ontario, it was announced yesterday.
49 year old Jo Anne Champagne and her 51 year old husband Gaetan will be heading to Toronto this week to claim their massive windfall, after a whim purchase of a lottery ticket.
Jo Anne recalled how the couple went shopping for Boxing Day sales at a local Hawkesbury pharmacy "so I could put away stuff for next year and save some money", and on just by chance decided to pick up the lottery ticket.
Champagne initially thought she had won $50,000, but soon realized that she was out a number of zeroes. Recalling the moment when she checked the ticket on New Year's Eve Jo Anne said: "I had to stop at the corner store on the way to Hawkesbury and I put the ticket in the checker, like I do every Saturday when I buy my 6/49 and I check my Max."
"So I put it in and it says $50,000," she said. "I'm going 'Good, now I get rid of that ugly bathroom and new cupboards in my kitchen.'"
It was only after a few moments that she realized that she had actually hit the $50 Million Lotto Max win.
Lotto Max Winners are Living a Dream
According to Champagne, the reality hasn't sunk in yet. "It's like living a dream," she said. "You just hope nobody wakes you up.
The Ontario Lottery and Gambling Corporation is still keeping things official and would only confirm that a winning ticket for Friday's draw was validated by a couple from Ontario.
The OLG would not provide any further details until it had confirmed the ticket, and said that the couple would be heading to Toronto on Wednesday morning to claim the prize.
The odds of winning the Lotto Max jackpot are 1: 26,633,528.
Jo Anne Champagne said in a radio interview that the family had huge plans for their newfound fortune. They would be purchasing a new home and new cars, and would also take care of their extended family and their two sons.
She added that they would definitely be giving back to the community because "the community supported us" when they owned a convenience store for 12 years in their town.
The next Lotto Max draw will be held on Friday, January 6th with an estimated jackpot of $16 million. Tickets are on sale now.
