Lotto Max $1,000,002 jackpot: Group of 13 coworkers in Ontario gets surprise of a lifetime
A group of 13 coworkers in southern Ontario have a lot to celebrate after they came together to purchase the winning ticket for a $1 million Maxmillions prize from the June 1 Lotto Max draw, winning an extra $2 on their Encore.
"Everyone was shocked! They were so thrilled when I told them," James Stewart of Beeton, Ont., the group leader and a married father of two, shared.
The other 12 Ontarians part of this lottery-winning group are:
A-Bau Thong of Brampton
Andrew Ennos of Whitby
Antonio Galardo of Toronto
Baney Persaud of Brampton
David Chanthaphone of Toronto
George Pagiatakis of Toronto
John Morrison of Newmarket
Paul Torresan of Caledon East
Stephen Browne of Barrie
Susan Slade of Ingersoll
Tony Watton of Innisfil
Werner Kehlbreier of Mississauga
The winning ticket was purchased at Bee-Mart on Main Street in Beeton.
"Everyone is excited to see the money," Stewart said.
"A few guys want to buy cars. One group member wants to take a trip to Italy with his family. I want to pay some bills and complete some renovations around the house."
Lottery customers in Ontario who win prizes over $50,000 are asked to call 1-800-387-0098 to discuss available prize claim options. Prize claims up to $49,999.90 should continue to be submitted by mail.
Lotto Max players in the province have won over $6.5 billion since 2009, including 87 jackpot wins and 714 Maxmillions prizes.
Each Lotto Max play is $5 and draws take place on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Tools to stop gambling
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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