Retired couple wins lottery for the first time, has different plans with windfall
A retired couple from Ontario was going about their regular day until a lottery win made it extraordinary.
Patricia Willert and John Lantz of St. Mary’s won Instant Crossword’s top prize of $50,000 this week.
Willert, 72, and Lantz, 79, say they’ve been playing the lottery together for over 20 years, and this is their first big win! In addition to Instant tickets, they usually play Lottario, Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max.
It was a regular day when the retirees sat on the couch and checked their tickets on the OLG App.
“I’m usually in charge of scanning the tickets while Pat looks over my shoulder,” Lantz shared while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up their lottery winnings.
“When we discovered we won big, we couldn’t believe it and began to scream,” recounted Willert.
“All I was doing was absorbing Pat’s excitement!” said Lantz.
OLG
The lucky pair has different plans for their $50,000 lottery windfall.
Willert is a little more carefree; “I plan to use this as my ‘mad’ money,” she said.
Lantz, however, is going the responsible route; “I’m going to put my portion in the bank,” he shared. “I feel very, very, very good!”
Opposites attract!
The couple purchased their winning ticket at Stratford Variety on Downie Street in Stratford, Ontario.
If you want a chance to beat the odds, Instant Crossword is available for $3 a play. The odds of winning are 1 in 3.91.
And if you do win any lottery prize, don’t be surprised if you have to take a photo with the giant cheque — here’s why that’s a thing in Canada.
Other wholesome wins this week include a couple who can finally become first-time homeowners and a woman prioritizing buying a prosthetic leg for her brother so she can go on walks with him.
What would you do with the money if you won the lottery?
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