Lottery-winning dad of three plans to pay off mortgage with prize money
An Ontarian lottery player has finally picked up his prize after winning it on June 6. Now, he’s ready to change his life.
Earlier this year, Pickering-based Ahilan Sivapiragasam bought a ticket at an Esso location in Scarborough. It resulted in him winning half a million dollars.
Ahilan is no newbie to the lottery world — he’s been picking numbers for a long time.
“I’ve been playing the lottery for over 20 years,” Ahilan shared while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in his area to pick up his fortune.
He said that one day, while at a local mall, he decided to check the lottery tickets he had lying around in his car. That’s when he came upon the winning ticket and realized his luck had shone bright.
“I was so surprised and happy when I saw all the zeroes. I called my wife over to show her, and she was so excited, too!” said Ahilan, smiling wide.
In over two decades of playing, the $500,000 prize is Ahilan’s first big win. The 49-year-old has three children and plans to pay off his mortgage.
“This win came at a perfect time,” he shared. “I always said one day we would win.”
In September, another Ontario dad found a winning lottery ticket worth $5,000,000 while cleaning out his wallet before a flight. He missed the flight so he could tell his family as soon as possible.
“When I saw $5 million appear, I couldn’t believe it,” he shared.
If you’re a regular lotto player, here’s a reminder to go through all the tickets you have lying around.