Winner's lucky lottery numbers "a combination of anniversaries and birthdays"

After playing the same numbers for a decade, one Ontario lottery player finally won big.

Chad John-Baptiste a retiree from Orleans, a suburb in Ottawa, said that he regularly buys lottery tickets.

“I’ve been playing the lottery regularly for about 25 years,” he said. However, ten years ago, he started playing his own numbers — and they’re not just any numbers.

“I’ve been playing the same numbers for 10 years – a combination of anniversaries and birthdays,” he said.

One day, he had popped into the store to scan his ticket using the ticket checker and couldn’t believe what he saw on the screen.

“I was in shock. I scanned it again and finally processed what I was seeing,” recalled John-Baptiste. “My wife was outside in the car, so I ran over to her to tell her. She was in shock too and is beyond happy for me.

Chad John-Baptiste/OLG

He had matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in exact order in the October 8 Lotto 6/49 draw to win $100,000. In addition, he won $5 on his Lotto 6/49 selection and $5 on another Encore selection, bringing his total winnings to $100,010.

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“This is my first big win,” he said, while at the OLG Prize Centre to pick up his cheque.

He said he’ll be using the money to pay some bills and will be taking his wife on a trip.

“It’s a series of mixed emotions,” he said.

The winning ticket was purchased at Circle K on Tompkins Avenue in Orleans.