NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO LOTTERY AND GAMING CORPORATION
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TORONTO – Life is a little more “grand” for Thomas Gartshore of Waterloo. He matched all five main numbers to win a second prize of $25,000 a year for life with DAILY GRAND in the Nov. 11, 2024 draw. Thomas opted for the lump sum payment of $500,000.
Thomas, a retired public service worker, has been playing the lottery with OLG for more than 20 years. He enjoys playing DAILY GRAND, LOTTO MAX, and LOTTO 6/49, as he is motivated by the high jackpots. Thomas is thrilled to share the news of his first big win!
“I was at the store shopping for milk when I decided to use the ticket checker to see how I did on my DAILY GRAND ticket,” Thomas recalled, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim his winnings. “I saw the ‘Big Winner’ message on the screen and thought, “This can’t be right!’ I scanned my ticket a few more times, but the message didn’t change.”
Filled with joy and disbelief, Thomas took his ticket to the store clerk to have it officially validated. “When my win was confirmed, I was so shocked and giddy that my head was swimming. I never expected something like this to happen to me,” he smiled. “At first, I was incredulous, but as I started to accept reality, I had to convince my wife that my win was real,” Thomas laughed.
“Winning this prize feels like freedom. I will now be debt-free! I plan to help my kids with their student loans, treat my wife to a trip, and do some work around the house,” Thomas concluded.
DAILY GRAND is a national lottery game with a top prize of $1,000 a day for life for matching the five main numbers plus the Grand Number. The second prize is $25,000 a year for life for matching the five main numbers. DAILY GRAND is $3 per play and draws take place on Mondays and Thursdays.
The winning ticket was purchased on Kitchen Food Fair Convenience on Columbia Street West in Waterloo.
OLG supports safe play and wants to keep the fun in the game. That’s why OLG is proud to be a leader in promoting responsible gambling with our globally recognized PlaySmart program.
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