A lucky Ontarian is in disbelief after winning a huge Lotto Max prize.
Saying “yes” to Encore paid off for Toronto resident Peter Wright.
He matched the last six of seven ENCORE numbers in exact order in the November 5, 2024, Lotto Max draw to win $100,000.
OLG
Wright has been playing the lottery with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) for decades.
He usually picks up Lotto 6/49 and Lottario tickets weekly and likes to play Lotto Max when the jackpot is massive.
His decision to purchase a Lotto Max ticket for the $50 million draw and add Encore led him to his first big win.
“I don’t usually play Encore,” said Wright while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim his winnings. “But when I was buying my ticket, I thought to myself, ‘Why not for a dollar more!’”
The morning he found out about his amazing win began as quiet.
“I logged into my OLG.ca account to see if I’d won anything,” Wright recounted. “I realized things looked a little different, and there was a message that said, ‘Awaiting prize claim.’ When I saw the prize amount, I froze and stared at the screen for several minutes.”
He said he immediately told his wife, but she didn’t believe him at first.
“The funny thing is, I’m the one who’s still in shock while my family is already celebrating! The timing of this win couldn’t have been better,” he said.
Being invited to the OLG prize centre has been a dream of Wright’s.
“It’s hard to believe the day has come,” he smiled. “To say I’m grateful is an understatement. I never imagined this would happen to me.”
While Wright plans to put most of the Lotto Max windfall in his bank account, he said he’ll also use a part of it for some tech upgrades.
“I think I’ll keep a little to upgrade my phone, which I’ve had since 2013,” Wright concluded with a grin.
Remember to check your Lotto Max tickets from Tuesday’s draw. Two lucky Canadians are splitting the life-changing $80 million lottery jackpot, and there were plenty of Maxmillions winners.