In the tranquil town of Tecumseh, a retail worker’s commonplace routine took a turn for the extraordinary, as he found himself a million dollars richer courtesy of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s Lotto Max ENCORE. For Keith Ford, who has been an avid lottery player for the past decade, the news is nothing short of a dream turned reality.
“I always add ENCORE,” Ford shared, the glimmer of triumph in his eyes evident as he collected his winnings at the OLG prize center in Toronto. The dramatic revelation unfolded within the aisles of the Zehrs grocery store on Manning Road. There, under the fluorescent lights, the clerk’s words echoing in the silent, morning store – “OLG will be calling in a few minutes” – marked the beginning of Ford’s life as a millionaire. “When I saw the prize amount, it was surreal. There are no words to describe this – it’s just shocking,” Ford recounted, still astounded by his windfall. With a future now bursting at the seams with possibilities, he plans to nourish his newfound fortune through investments and savor the world’s offerings through travel.
Meanwhile, Essex inhabitant John Pelat also joined the winners’ circle with a striking $100,000 prize from an Instant Bingo Doubler play. His stroke of fortune stemmed from a ticket he obtained at the local Esso Station on University Avenue in Windsor, transforming an otherwise unremarkable day into a sudden celebration.
Adding to the recent success stories is an unnamed LaSalle great-grandfather who was bestowed with a $350,000 prize from an Instant Crossword Extreme ticket draw just a fortnight ago. Earlier this year, a Windsor dame secured herself a position among the region’s millionaires when her $100 OLG’s Instant Ultimate lottery ticket, purchased at Loblaws on Dougall Avenue, yielded one of forty $1-million top prizes.
Beyond individual millionaire-making stories, Tecumseh’s lottery landscape has been a breeding ground for high-benefit outcomes. Just a year ago, Windsor’s Jay Jayasinghe, another fortunate townsperson, tipped the scales after reaping a mammoth $35 million from a successful Lotto Max ticket play. Cashing in on dreams as vast as his winnings, Jayasinghe earmarked part of his jackpot for a Dodge Charger Hellcat and a cross-country sojourn.
In what might seem like a place untouched by the grandiosity of riches, the residents of Tecumseh, Essex, and Windsor continue to wield their modest lottery tickets, redefining their destiny with every play and basking in the unexpected joy of their unassuming gambles.
