On April 19, someone won the Lotto Max jackpot worth $70,000,000, and we finally know who it was just over a month later.
Toronto-based former public worker Gregory (Greg) Chialtas is enjoying the life-changing win with his family and friends, who seem to be his biggest priority.
Chialtas visited Toronto’s OLG Prize Centre to pick up his huge cheque as confetti rained down on him in celebration.
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Lotto Max jackpot winner “triple-checked” ticket
While grocery shopping one day, Chialtas picked up a Lotto Max ticket that would lead to the $70 million jackpot. He bought it at the Sheppard Ticket Centre inside the Yonge-Sheppard Centre on Yonge Street in Toronto.
He picked his numbers based on what was meaningful to his kids, siblings, and other family members.
After the draw, Chialtas checked his ticket and still didn’t realize he’d won. He noticed that he’d matched only three numbers and said he was “happy-ish” with the idea of probably only winning a free ticket.
However, something inside him told him to recheck the ticket.
“That’s when I realized I was looking at the numbers from the wrong draw date. So, I went back to find the results from the April 19 Lotto Max draw, and that’s when I saw I matched all seven numbers. I was in total shock!” he shared.
Awestruck, Chialtas called his best friend and asked him to check the numbers on OLG.ca and read them to him.
All the numbers still matched, but it felt so good to be true that the winner and his bestie decided to check a third time.
“It was unbelievable to us, but we had to make absolutely sure I had the winning ticket. So we decided to meet up at a store near our homes and triple-check them using the in-store ticket checker. When reality started to sink in, all I wanted to do was leave the store quietly, but my friend was freaking out!” Chialtas told the media.
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It wasn’t easy for him to keep the win from his immediate family as he verified the numbers. He just wanted to get home and tell everyone what had happened.
“We are a very close-knit family. It’s a bit cliché, just like that movie, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Chialtas said, referring to the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
“That’s why I turned to them first with this incredible news! I got everyone on Facetime to share this exciting news, but no one believed me! It took a bit of time to convince them it was true.”
When Chialtas finally received the prize in his bank account, an OLG official warned, “It’s going to look like an international phone number.”
Here’s a GIF of the winner falling off his chair when he saw the money deposited in his bank account.
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Prize money plans
Chialtas recently retired from a job in public service.
In the past year, he faced health challenges he was able to recover from due to support from his family. With this win, they remain by Chialtas’s side, helping him along the way.
“It’s been humbling and heart-warming to have their love during this entire incredible experience. They have kept me grounded and focused on what’s most important – my family!” he shared.
“We can buy anything now, but the memories are more important because they will last a lifetime. So, we, as a family, will make those memories happen together. I love saying ‘we’ because it’s never ‘I,’ it’s always ‘we’. They made me feel safe and supported, so at this life-changing moment, it’s all about ‘we’!”
The Toronto resident has some plans for his windfall, including travelling, ensuring his kids finish their education, buying a new car (or more), and even homes for his immediate family members.
“Every good parent wants to give their kids the most, and I guess I can now,” he said in a video interview.
Chialtas also mentioned that he wanted to give back to the community. But perhaps the cutest thing on his bucket list is getting a furry friend.
“I plan to adopt a rescue dog so that I can change their life for the better, just like what’s happened to me!” he shared.
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