A couple from Chatham made a great decision when they decided to buy a lottery ticket and play the ENCORE.
Charles and Bonnie Parker of Chatham bought their winning ticket at Corner Smoke and Convenience on McNaughton Avenue in Chatham and matched the last six of seven numbers in exact order on Encore in the June 8, 2024 LOTTARIO draw to win $100,000.
Charles and Bonnie are retired great grandparents, according to Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), and they are celebrating their first big win after playing the lottery with OLG for 30 years.
The Parkers told the OLG they plan to take care of some personal responsibilities with the winnings and plan a family gathering.
The OLG said the couple always makes sure to add ENCORE when they play.
“I went to the store to purchase our next set of tickets when I decided to check this one. I think I scanned it about three times when I saw what we won. I thought to myself, ‘What’s wrong with this machine?’ and headed home to tell Bonnie,” Charles recalled, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up their winnings.
Bonnie Parker said she was shocked when her husband told the news.
“When he told me the news, he was a little shaky and I kept telling him to stay calm. I like to think I was calm and collected,” she laughed. “It’s so hard to explain this feeling. We didn’t expect it, so it’s a little overwhelming!”
