An Ontario man had to play quite the waiting game while trying to figure out if he had won a huge seven-figure lottery jackpot.
Steve Watson of Acton, Ontario, has been playing the lottery for 25 years and regularly chooses numbers that pertain to significant events in his life.
Earlier this month, he had checked the winning numbers on his Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) app but at the time, he said he was “busy” and didn’t see if they matched the numbers on his ticket.
OLG
He continued with his day and stopped at a gas station to scan his ticket, hoping for a quick result, but the lottery terminal froze.
“I was so confused,” he said in a statement.
He had to wait for the gas station to call OLG to figure out if he had won, and, to his surprise, he hit the jackpot with a $1 million win!
“It really hit me when I was on the way back home,” he recalled. “It was so surreal, I just wanted to scream. When I told my better half, she started to cry.”
Watson said that he plans on using his winnings to pay off some bills and buy his son a new car.
“I don’t know how to describe this feeling. It’s a dream come true.”
The winning ticket was purchased at ESSO/Circle K on Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls.
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.