Deserving Ontario Grandma Scores $60 Million Lotto Max Prize

Written By Jose Colorado on November 25, 2022
ontario grandmother wins $60 million lotto max prize

At 83 years old, Vera Page has been through a lot.

But it’s safe to say few things will compare to her latest excitement.

On Wednesday, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation identified the great-grandmother as the Nov.1 $60-million Lotto Max winner. Foodland on High 34 in Vankleek Hill, Ont., sold the winning ticket.

Page — a regular lottery player for roughly 40 years — said, via an OLG press release, things could have been different if it had not been for her scooter.

“When the staff at my retirement home rescheduled our weekly trip, I got my motorized scooter and went to the store myself. As I was checking out, I remembered to buy my Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 tickets, both with ENCORE.”

vera page wins $60 million lotto max prize in ontario
Lotto Max jackpot winner, Vera Page. Photo: OLG

Page eager to share news of lotto win with family, friends

According to OLG’s website, Lotto Max’s odds of winning are 1 in 33,294,800 ($10 – $70 million jackpot).

To that end, like many lottery winners, Page had difficulty believing her luck. After purchasing her tickets, she tucked them under her computer, safely away until the Nov.1 draw.

Weeks passed, then news broke of a winning ticket sold in the Prescott and Russell area. That prompted Page to check her numbers.

Page is one of 11 children. Family and community have long been a staple in her life.

Immediately when she realized her good fortune, she wanted loved ones to know of her luck. The only problem? It was late, and everyone was asleep or away from their phone.

Grandma knew a restless night awaited.

Stunned, Page rushes to confirm lotto win

Her son returned her call the following day.

“I told him that we have to go to Foodland where I bought the ticket to validate it and make sure I wasn’t seeing things.

We were in such a rush that I put on a pair of pants over my nightgown, threw on a jacket and went to the store half-dressed.ffff When I gave my ticket to the clerk, the bells and whistles went off and the clerk yelled that I had won big.”

Alaskan cruise, new house and hearing aids top priorities

Up to this point, Page devoted much of her life to serving others.

Consider the 83-year-old is one of 11 siblings, playing a hand in raising her younger sisters. Not only that, but Page helped save her sister’s life – by donating her kidney nearly 40 years ago.

Beyond that, Page, who long worked as a personal support worker, says she will continue to buy lottery tickets.

Her son, Trevor, is ecstatic that she is finally getting her due.

“She is so deserving of this good fortune.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Page’s “bucket list” items mainly include helping others.

Page wants to:

  • Purchase land along the Ottawa River
  • Build a double-family house for herself and her son’s family
  • Take an Alaskan cruise
  • Purchase a boat to share with family and friends
  • Share winnings with family

She does have one selfish desire, though.

“I am getting new hearing aids!”

Calgary’s $70 million Lotto Max winner announced

While enormous, Page’s windfall was not even the biggest announced this week.

That’s because – almost directly coinciding with her news – was another Lotto Max winner.

On Tuesday, the Western Canada Lottery Corporation identified Calgary local Mitchel Dyck as the $70 million winner of the Oct.21 Lotto Max Draw.

The announcement was significant since the Oct.21 draw was the second-largest pool prize in the game’s history (63 Maxmillions prizes were also up for grabs). It also took a record-setting 20 draws to get here, adding much national drama.

Page, Dyck win windfall in contrasting ways

Regardless, Page and Dyck’s winning formulas couldn’t have differed more.

On the one hand, Page was a devoted lottery player for nearly four decades, regularly playing the Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49.

Meanwhile, when collecting his earnings, Dyck confessed he rarely plays any form of lottery. Only when a cashier asks at the counter.

He – like Page – was taken aback at his luck.

“I handed it to the cashier who scanned it; I thought we won $70,000. We tried to count the zeroes, but the numbers flew by quickly. I already had goosebumps.”

OLG aims for enhanced lottery experience

It’s been a transformative year for Canadian lottery players as OLG continues to tinker and innovate with its playing experience.

In early Sept, the Crown corporation announced sweeping changes to its popular Lotto 6/49 game. The result? Players can now win two multi-million-dollar jackpot prizes with each ticket.

More recently, the government agency released its $100 Ultimate Instant Ticket. For $100, OLG has said the ticket gives the best-ever odds for an OLG million-dollar sweepstakes.

OLG will award 40 $1 million winners on New Year’s Eve alongside other six-figure prizes.

Meanwhile, Ontario Lotto Max players have won over $7.4 billion since 2009, including 95 jackpots.

A ticket is $5, with draws on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Photo by Shutterstock
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Jose Colorado

Jose Colorado is a British Columbia-based writer. He lives in Burnaby and loves sports, anime, writing, business and the occasional walk on the beach.

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