Fergus, Ont. woman wins $40-million Lotto Max jackpot

Elizabeth Trafford from Fergus, Ont. celebrated after winning $40 million lottery jackpot. (Submitted: OLG)

Ontario has a new multimillionaire.

Elizabeth Trafford from Fergus, Ont., a small community north of Guelph, won the big $40-million Lotto Max jackpot in the Dec. 10, 2024 draw.

While picking up her winnings, Trafford said she was following her usual Saturday morning routine when she stopped into her local gas station to check her tickets.

“The first one came up ‘Not a winner,” she said. “The second one blew the machines in the store – they all went off at the same time. All I saw was, ‘Big winner! Big winner!’”

She admits she was feeling emotional and a bit shaky.

Trafford went to her car and immediately called her son. Once she was able to convince him she wasn’t joking, he raced over.

“It’s the most wonderful situation in that what every parent wants to do is be able to give something wonderful to your children. They’re going to get a nice house, and he will inherit the legacy, and I think that’s really a very important thing - that this will go on.”

She added she’s always wanted to travel, and now she can do that. She had already planned a trip to South Africa before the big win, but now she’s expanding that trip and adding a few more destinations to her list.

“The people that I have told, and it’s been an incredibly moving thing for me, is that they’ve said, ‘If anyone deserves this it’s you,’” Trafford said, her voice breaking with emotion as she held back tears.

Once the reality began to set in, Trafford put together a team to make sure her Quick Pick ticket was safe and that her winnings could be used in the best way possible.

“There’s so much good I can do with this windfall, and I want to give back in a meaningful way. In the coming months, I’ll work with the team I’ve gathered to identify and prioritize the causes and interests that are near and dear to me.”

She bought her wining ticket at Blinkhorn’s Corner Variety on St. David Street North in Fergus.