Mike Ross of Capreol in Greater Sudbury matched all seven Encore numbers in exact order in the June 15 in the Lotto 6/49 draw to win $1 million.
Ross, who works in the skilled trades, has been an occasional lottery player with OLG for decades. He buys his tickets when stopping for gas and is motivated to play when the jackpot is high.
Ross said he always adds encore to his tickets.
"I stopped at a corner store to check my ticket. When I scanned it using the ticket checker, I saw the 'big winner' message and a lot of zeros on the screen," he said in a news release Tuesday.
"I was so shocked and had to scan my ticket again. I’d never seen anything like that before. I was shaking like a leaf and had to grab something to drink because my mouth was so dry."
Ross said telling his family the big news "was an incredible moment."
"Hearing the words, 'I won a million dollars' coming from my own mouth was surreal! It feels amazing to win. I never expected anything like this. This has been an exciting and overwhelming experience. It’s left me full of gratitude and happiness."
He plans to purchase a new truck and a side-by-side, while investing the rest.
"Winning feels like freedom—like a breath of fresh air," he added.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
"I’m going to enjoy every moment of this and have an incredible Christmas with my family."
The winning ticket was purchased at Shell on Regional Road 84 in Capreol.
OLG supports safe play and promotes responsible gambling with its globally recognized PlaySmart program.
