A lucky Ontario lottery player has big plans for her 50th birthday, thanks to a huge windfall.
Saying “yes” to Encore paid off for Oshawa resident Gaetana Vella. She matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in the exact order in the Lotto Max draw on September 24, 2024, to win $100,000.
The program designer and administrator downloaded the OLG app and created an OLG.ca account just last year.
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She signed up for a Lotto Max subscription and elected to have Encore added to her online Quick Pick tickets.
While Vella has enjoyed some small wins throughout the year, nothing could have prepared the mom of four for the email she received confirming her giant lottery win.
“I received an email from OLG, but initially ignored it thinking it was notifying me of a Free Play win,” Vella recounted, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her winnings.
“When I went on the app and saw that I had won $100,000, my first thought was, ‘Is this real?’ I showed my son, and he had the same reaction. Once we knew it was true, my kids and I were so happy! It was an emotional moment.”
Vella says she’s grateful for the lottery prize.
“As a single mom of four, it’s not always easy. This win has been a true blessing,” she shared. “I say, ‘Pick up a ticket and take that leap of faith!’”
She plans to put part of the lottery windfall towards her birthday celebrations next year.
“This January, I’ll be celebrating my 50th birthday! I plan to mark the occasion by taking a vacation with my family,” Vella concluded.
You could celebrate your birthday in a big way, like Vella, with a lottery prize.
The next Lotto Max draw is tonight with a jackpot of $32 million.
If you haven’t yet, check your tickets for the weekend. Eight lottery players across Canada split the second prize in Saturday’s Lotto 6/49 draw.
And one player is taking home the second prize in Friday’s Lotto Max draw.