A retired Sarnia man, who has been playing the lottery for the past 40 years, is celebrating a $100,000 ENCORE win.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) said John McClelland matched the last six of seven ENCORE numbers in exact order in the August 21, 2024 LOTTO 6/49 draw.
McClelland said he's thrilled.
"I was at the store when I decided to check my ticket on the ticket checker. I must have scanned it four or five times as I repeated, to myself, ‘This can’t be real!’ I then had the ticket validated at the lottery terminal. I was in awe as that little blue machine lit up, as did my eyes," said McClelland while picking up his winnings at the OLG prize centre in Toronto. "My legs became weak, and I could feel my blood pressure rising. It was an unreal moment." "I shared the news with my partner and all she could say was, ‘No way!’ Winning sure put a smile on both of our faces. Even my dog was happy,” he laughed. “This win is a blessing and has been an amazing experience. Saying I feel lucky is an understatement! I can finally say, ‘I, John, am a lottery winner!'"
For the time being, he plans to invest and save his winnings. ENCORE offers 22 ways to win and can be played in conjunction with most lottery games for an extra $1.
There are two ENCORE draws every day. The winning ticket was purchased at Wellington Convenience on Wellington Street in Sarnia.