Lotto 6/49: 4 friends each have unique ways for how they'll use their winnings — whose idea would you choose?
When Linda Fenton scanned her Lotto 6/49 ticket on a quiet Sunday morning, she couldn't believe her eyes. She and three of her longtime friends from Essex, Ont., had just won $88,907 in the Dec. 21, 2024 draw — and one friend had the perfect way to describe the moment.
'It's kind of like finding out you're pregnant!' said Rhonda Bonneau, as she and her group visited the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up their winnings.
'You know you're having a baby, but it doesn't feel real until you're holding it.'
For Fenton, Bonneau, Mary Ann Reaume and Sandra Brush, the win came with disbelief, excitement, and ideas for how they'll use their share of the prize, which comes to roughly $22K.
'I'm going on a trip to Cuba in March, and I will save the rest,' said Brush. 'Oh! And I'll buy a bunch of Lindor chocolates.'
For Bonneau, she plans to help her son with his upcoming wedding, while also enjoying a trip to Europe.
Reaume wants to plan a trip to Ireland to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary. As for Fenton, she wants to "pay some bills and invest the rest. I don't have any big plans yet, but I'll treat myself down the line.'
The tight-knit group of friends have been playing the lottery together for five years. Their tradition began when they were coworkers at a local meat market and continued even after Reaume retired.
Over the years, their friendship grew stronger, while lottery tradition has also now paid off in a big way.
'It's shocking, but we're so grateful,' said Bonneau.
The lucky moment came when Fenton opened the OLG app and scanned their ticket.
'It was a Sunday morning when I scanned our ticket on the OLG app and discovered we'd won,' she said.
In shock and with shaky hands, Fenton quickly began calling everyone to share the good news. Each call was met with the same reaction: complete disbelief and excitement.
'I couldn't believe what Linda was telling me! I was so surprised,' said Reaume.
'I was stunned,' added Brush. 'I doubted what Linda was telling me and said, 'Are you kidding me? Don't play with me.'
Then, the four friends decided to share the news with their loved ones. Their families were just as thrilled.
'I said, 'Hold on! Let me put you on speakerphone so my husband can hear this,'' said Bonneau. 'I thought, 'There's no way this is real,' I was shaking too! This was the best news I'd heard in a while.'
But more than the prize itself, it's the shared experience that means the most to these four friends.
'The best part is that we're going through this journey together. I couldn't imagine winning this prize with anyone else,' said Brush. 'It's just beautiful and has brought so much joy!'
The group says the experience has been unforgettable — and it might not be their last big win.
'This has been a wonderful experience,' said Bonneau. 'This is something the girls and I will talk about for years! We can't wait to come back and collect a $50 million jackpot.'
The winning ticket was purchased at Circle K on Talbot Street North in Essex. The group matched five out of six numbers — 6, 9, 21, 24, 41, 48 — and the bonus number 31, helping them secure the second largest prize.
The Lotto 6/49 Classic Jackpot draw is offered every Wednesday and Saturday, and is made up of six numbers drawn from a range of 1 to 49. If a ticket sold for the draw matches all six numbers, then that ticket wins the Classic Jackpot $5 million prize.
If you're looking to take a break from gambling, self-exclusion programs can be effective tools. See here for resources that are available across Canada.
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