Sometimes first time’s the charm.
That was the case for Nathaniel Marksman when the Mississauga-native pulled in a whopping $1 million with his first-ever Ontario lotto purchase.
The fortune came via the Lotto Max Maxmillions June 3rd draw run by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
While at OLG’s Prize Centre in Toronto, Marksman said he couldn’t believe his beginner’s luck.
“I thought the machine was broken while checking my ticket at the store after seeing all the zeroes. I asked the clerk for help, and he told me it wasn’t broken. I was shocked and surprised, then I got in my car and cried happy tears.”
Marksman to pay mom’s mortgage with Ontario lotto win
Marksman purchased the winning ticket at a Shell Gas Station on Rexwood Road in Mississauga.
Initially, Marksman called his older brother. Then his attention turned to the earnings: What would he do with his good fortune?
While a vacation may have sounded enticing, Marksman –a toy store employee – was thinking practically. The 24-year-old plans to help pay off his mother’s mortgage.
He also said he would share his earnings with his brother so his niece and nephew could have a better future. Marksman will also enjoy some of his winnings himself.
“I feel I have a chance to live better,” he added.
Dixon wins $20 million on numbers played for 30+ years
Opposite to Marksman’s beginner’s luck, another Toronto-native recently won $20 million through sheer consistency.
For over three decades, Stephen Dixon stubbornly played the same numbers in Lotto 6/49. The 70-year-old’s determination paid off when the Scarborough resident took the grand prize in the July 9 draw.
Over the past year, punters may recall many memorable wins nationwide.
Christine Lauzon took home $70 million – the largest lotto prize in B.C. – in November 2021. Her craving for a bag of peanuts compelled her to make a pit stop at her local Shoppers Drug Mart.
A Manitoba man also won $20 million in 2021. The only issue was he had “forgotten” he had purchased the winning ticket.
OLG lotto players get ice cream treat with Lotto Max “dream” tickets
Bummed about your relationship with lady luck? Fret not. There is a silver lining in Ontario.
Punters can get a “millionaire-inspired” ice cream Dream Bar alongside a scannable Lotto Max play code for a limited time.
Each Dream Bar and ticket is just $5. But patrons must be 18 years or older to play. The campaign is a fun way to give Ontarians a taste of the “millionaire lifestyle” as the summer wraps up.
According to the OLG, Lotto Max players in Ontario have won over $7 billion since 2009, including 92 jackpots.
