One lottery player has many reasons to celebrate after winning big on an instant ticket.
Suzette Lamothe, 62, lives in Ballymote, Ontario, and she has a bit of a tradition when it comes to playing the lottery.
“I normally play Instant Cash for Life around the holidays,” she said.
Each Cash for Life ticket costs $4, and players must uncover three “Life” symbols to win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a week for life. When Lamothe played her ticket, she was in for a huge surprise.
“I was playing my ticket and saw three ‘Life’ come up — I was very shocked,” she said.
olg.ca
Lamothe couldn’t believe that she had won the game’s jackpot of $1,000 a week for life.
“I took the ticket to the store to validate and make sure I was seeing things correctly,” she said. “I was so happy to see I really won!”
But rather than receiving the $1,000 weekly payout, she opted for the lump sum prize of $675,000.
Winner Suzette Lamothe of Ballymote, Ontario (OLG)
While at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her big cheque, she said she was thinking about how to spend her money as she was still letting her windfall sink in.
“It’s so exciting,” said Lamothe.
The winning ticket was purchased at Mac’s on Highbury Avenue in London.
All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, you can find resources here.