Toronto man wins $70M lottery jackpot
When Toronto man Greg Chialtas first saw his bank account after his $70 million Lotto Max jackpot winnings were transferred over, he actually fell out of his chair.
"Holy shit," he exclaimed in a video provided by the Ontario Lotto and Gaming Corporation (OLG), announcing his win from the April 19 draw.
In a news release, OLG said Chialtas bought the winning ticket while shopping for groceries. When he first realized what had happened, the sheer excitement turned his disbelief into hyperventilation and sweat, he said.
"I was in complete shock. My knees buckled," he said.
"Everything that you can imagine with excitement and not knowing what to do — I was doing it."
The news release says Chialtas is a single father and retired public servant who faced health challenges during the last year, but got through it with the support of his family.
Now, Chialtas says he's going to focus on making memories with his family and friends, especially due to the fact he chose the numbers on the winning ticket because they're meaningful to his children, siblings and other loved ones.
"Now we can make memories that can last each of [our lifetimes]," he said.
Chialtas says he'll use the cash for things like traveling, helping his kids finish school, charitable work — and adopting a furry buddy.
"I plan to adopt a rescue dog so that I can change their life for the better, just like what's happened to me," he said.
