An Oakville man finally won the lottery after playing for a quarter of a century.
Catalin Pascu matched the last six of seven ENCORE numbers in exact order in the December 14 LOTTO 6/49 draw to win $100,000!
“I was at the grocery store when I remembered I had a few tickets to check. The clerk scanned them for me, and suddenly, the lottery terminal froze,” recalled Pascu while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings. “It was unbelievable! I couldn’t stop laughing. There were a few ladies behind me in line. I saw one’s jaw drop, while the other said, ‘Wow! This is the first time I’m seeing a real winner right in front of my eyes!’”
The retired grandfather has been playing the lottery with OLG for 25 years.
“When I shared the incredible news with my wife and kids, no one believed me,” he chuckled. “I’m known to be a jokester, so no one took me seriously until I showed them the ticket and validation slip.”
With his windfall, Pascu plans to pay some bills and travel with his wife. He also looks forward to enjoying his retirement in a new way and embracing the finer things in life.
“I’m beyond grateful” he added. “My wife and I are both retired, and this win is truly a blessing. Winning comes with an overwhelming mix of feelings. You play the lottery to win, but you never imagine it will actually happen to you!”
The winning ticket was purchased at the Fortinos grocery store on Dundas Street West in Oakville.
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