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An Ontario educator has found herself $5 million richer after a spur of the moment decision.
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Susan Baldwin, of Iroquois, near Kemptville, is not a regular lottery player and, in fact, didn’t know how to play Lotto 6/49 until recently.
While at her local grocery store, she overheard the customer in front of her ask for a ticket so when it was her turn, Baldwin asked for the same play.
She ended up winning the Lotto 6/49 Classic Jackpot on Aug. 14.
“I left my ticket on the kitchen counter and asked my husband to check it for me as I headed out for work,” Baldwin told OLG.
“Soon after I left, I got a text from him telling me to come home. Then, he called me, saying, ‘You need to come home. You won $5 million on that ticket!’ I didn’t believe him at first, but he sent me a screenshot from the OLG app. My body froze and my heart started racing. It took my breath away.”
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Baldwin said her return home to see her husband “was a quiet, surreal moment.
“We went to the store right away,” she told OLG.
“It feels crazy to win and I never expected it. I’ve never known anyone who has won big like this before! I plan to semi-retire and will give my notice at work. I also intend to invest and make sure this money lasts a long time. I have a lot of decisions to make. I will take my time and let things settle in a bit, but I am excited to enjoy some travel with family.”
The winning ticket was bought at Laura’s Valu-mart on Main Street in Morrisburg.
ADMINISTRATOR WINS $1 MILLION
Two decades of lottery playing later, Daniel Grondin of Ottawa finally won a Lotto 6/49 prize worth $1 million in the June 22, 2024 draw.
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For 20 years, the adminstrator has been playing his own numbers which are comprised of random digits and family birthdates
“It was the end of the day when I checked my ticket on the OLG app,” said Grondin to OLG.
“After scanning it, I showed the screen to my boss, saying, ‘Look, I won $1,000!’ My boss laughed and said, ‘You don’t know how to count, silly. That’s $1 million!’ I was left speechless and stunned. I told my partner the news and she screamed with joy!”
When asked what it feels like to win big, Grondin told OLG, “It hasn’t sunk in yet. I think you have to win to truly understand the experience!”
He looks forward to treating himself to a birthday gift and saving for retirement.
The winning ticket was bought at Joe’s Smoke Shop and Grocery on St. Laurent Boulevard in Ottawa.
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BRAMPTON MAN WINS $1 MILLION
Lucas Toth of Brampton plans to pay off his mortgage after winning a $1 million Maxmillions prize in the Aug. 20, 2024 Lotto Max draw.
Toth, who works in construction, is an occasional lottery player who typically picks up tickets when the jackpots are high.
“It was early morning when I saw an email from OLG,” he told the OLG.
“The wording was different from the emails I usually receive. I immediately logged into my account and went to check my ticket. When I saw the amount I won, my mind started racing and I wondered if what I was seeing was real. I wasn’t sure if I was looking at decimals or commas.”
Toth woke up his fiancée to confirm.
“She was groggy and thought there was some sort of emergency,” he told OLG. “When I showed her my account, she started to shake and asked if it was real. She wondered if it was a dream. It was awesome to see her reaction and how happy she was. I was happy for both of us! I used to dream of what it would be like to win, and it’s exactly like I dreamt it would be.”
Toth plans to pay off their mortgage and invest for their future.
“Maybe I’ll put some money aside for an amazing honeymoon too!” he told OLG. “Winning feels great. It’s put my fiancée and me a few years ahead of our life plan.”
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