Eastern Ontario man wins $12.5 million Lotto Max jackpot
A visit to a Kingston, Ont. truck stop has made one eastern Ontario man $12.5 million richer.
- Sign up now for our daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
John Wilson of Battersea, Ont. was announced as one of the winners of the Lotto Max jackpot in the March 8 draw.
He discovered his win while he was at home with his wife and checking his tickets in the Ontario Lotto and Gaming Corporation's (OLG) app.
Wilson, a skilled worker, says he's been playing Lotto Max for eight years.
"She showed me the Big Winner screen and asked if that said $12.5 thousand. I said, 'No, I think there are a few more zeros.' I was so shocked. We hugged and celebrated – I just kept wondering if it was real," Wilson told the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto while picking up his winnings.
Wilson says he plans to take time to settle with his win and wants to set up an education fund for his kids.
"This win is my chance to enjoy time with my family. We are excited for the future and possibilities that come along with this win," Wilson said.
The OLG's website shows Wilson was one of two players who both took the top prize on March 8. Winning the jackpot requires securing seven out of seven numbers chosen by the player.
The other winning ticket was sold in Brampton, Ont.
Lotto Max costs $5 per play and draws take place every Tuesday and Friday.
The winning ticket was purchased at Kingston Truck Stop on Highway 15. Battersea is located in the Township of South Frontenac, approximately 25 kilometres north of Kingston.
"This means so much to me in terms of what I can provide for my children. I will be forever thankful," Wilson said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
VIA Rail service delayed for hours due to suspicious package investigation in Kingston, Ont.
VIA Rail service resumed in the Kingston, Ont. area late Saturday afternoon, after a suspicious package investigation halted train service for more than four hours over the Victoria Day long weekend.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.