Grandfather surprised by big win after splurging on $100 lottery ticket

How much would you pay for a lottery ticket? Four dollars? What about $100?

One lottery player’s decision to splurge paid off, much to his surprise.

William Cripps is a 61-year-old grandfather who lives in Hamilton, Ontario. One day, rather than buying his usual ticket, he decided to spend the $100 on the Instant Ultimate game.

Each ticket includes instant scratch-and-win games and the chance to win one of 40 $1 million prizes that will be drawn on December 31. So Cripps figured his odds of winning something in the game would probably be a lot better, and he was right.

“When I played it at home, I couldn’t believe it,” he recalled. “I had to look at it five times before realizing I won.”

William Cripps/OLG

Cripps was equally stunned and thrilled to learn that he had won $100,000.

He said his family couldn’t believe the news.

“They said, ‘No way – you’re kidding me!'” he recalled.

While at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings, he said he’ll be using his windfall to help his daughter buy a house.

“It feels good – just absolutely good!” he said.

The winning ticket was purchased at EZ Mart on Parkdale Avenue in Hamilton.