Thomas Gartshore had a tough decision to make after winning the lottery.
The retired public service worker won $25,000 a year for life after matching all five numbers with Daily Grand in the November 11, 2024, draw. He also had the option to walk away with a $500,000 lump sum.
Gartshore ended up choosing the $500,000, and he said his win left him in disbelief.
“I was at the store shopping for milk when I decided to use the ticket checker to see how I did on my Daily Grand ticket,” he said in a press release.
“I saw the ‘Big Winner’ message on the screen and thought, ‘This can’t be right!’ I scanned my ticket a few more times, but the message didn’t change.”
He took the ticket to the clerk to have it validated, and when it was confirmed, he said he felt “so shocked and giddy that [his] head was spinning.”
After it all sank in, Gartshore had to convince his wife that the win was real.
The money will help him become debt-free, and he wants to help his kids pay off their student loans.
He will also treat his wife to a trip and fix up some things around his home.
“I never expected something like this to happen to me,” he said. “Winning this prize feels like freedom.
His winning ticket was purchased at Kitchen Food Fair Convenience on Columbia Street West in Waterloo.
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