Donna Heaton of Mississauga, Ontario, has tried her luck at the lottery over the past 40 years winning a few small prizes here and there.
The retail worker purchases Lotto Max tickets every week and plays numbers that correlate with the birthdays of those close to her.
Irish Mae Silvestre/Daily Hive
“I would always jokingly ask the store clerk to give me the winning ticket,” she said in a statement.
“I’d often win a little on each one, but always thought I’d win big someday.”
Heaton was in for the surprise of her life when she recently checked her ticket on her phone.
“I scanned my ticket on the OLG app, and it said, ‘Big Winner,’” she recalled.
“I couldn’t believe it! I even restarted my phone a few times.”
Turns out she had hit the $1 million jackpot.
Heaton will use her winnings to plan a trip and wants to invest the rest.
She isn’t the only Canadian who has won a huge prize after years of playing the lottery.
Recently, Steve Watson of Acton, Ontario, won $1 million after 25 years of trying his luck.
Randal Moffitt, a construction worker from Brampton, purchased tickets for the past three decades and became a winner last month.
Heaton’s winning ticket was purchased at Hasty Market on Martin Grove Road in Woodbridge.
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.