Christopher Popelyak is celebrating his recent lottery win and has very generous plans for how he will use his prize.
The crane operator from Whitby, Ontario, has been trying his luck at the lotto for two decades.
The father of two recently purchased two tickets and recalled the store clerk wishing him a good weekend before leaving the store.
“I made a joke saying, ‘I’ll go check them on the ticket checker and I’ll be back with the big winner,’” said Popelyak while collecting his cheque at the OLG prize centre in Toronto.
When he checked his first ticket, it wasn’t a winner, but his second ticket left him in shock.
“Then, I checked my second ticket and saw ‘$300,000’ on the screen. I was so surprised, I had to call the clerk over to verify what I was seeing,” said Popelyak.
“I just couldn’t believe it! When OLG called the store, I told them, ‘I’ve been waiting for this call for a long time.’”
Popelyak shared the news with his family, who were overjoyed and left in disbelief.
“I showed them the validation slip and they were all shocked,” he said.
As for how Popelyak is going to use his winnings, he’s planning to share them with his loved ones.
Other recent lottery players have also highlighted their intentions to share their winnings.
Vladimir Koustov of Ontario recently won $100,000 and said he would use the money to help his kids purchase their first homes.
Popelyak’s winning ticket was purchased at Thickson Convenience on Thickson Road South in Whitby.
All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, you can find resources here.