Generous Canadian shares lottery win with kids by asking what car they want
A Canadian dad and longtime lottery player is excited to share his winnings with his family, and he’s starting by buying his kids new cars.
John Dowling of Selby, Ont., is a retiree who has been playing the lottery for decades. Typically, he plays twice a week, opting for his go-to games Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max. Whenever he buys his tickets, Dowling said he uses the Quick Pick feature to choose his numbers and adds Encore to his tickets.
Dowling was going about his usual routine when he discovered the life-changing news.
@atlanticlottery/Instagram
“The day after the draw, I went to the store to have my ticket validated,” he said. “The cashier scanned my ticket, and the lottery terminal froze. I think she was even more excited than I was!”
After buying a Lotto 6/49 ticket for the May 17 draw, Dowling had won the top Encore prize worth $1 million. And that’s when things started to get real — an OLG representative called the store to help Dowling start the claims process.
“When I found out I’d won $1 million, I was shocked!” he recalled.
Dowling was still processing the news as he was driving home from the store when he saw his wife out on a walk with their dog.
“I lowered my car window and suddenly got overwhelmed — happy tears started streaming down my face,” he shared. “My wife thought something was wrong and came over to me, asking, ‘What happened?’ I got out of the car, gave her a big hug, and told her, ‘We’re millionaires.'”
He said that his wife was “on cloud nine” and, after taking some time to process their good fortune, they shared the news with their sons.
Winner John Dowling of Selby, Ont. (OLG)
“When I got home, I asked my son who was there at the time, ‘What kind of car do you want?’ Then I called my other son and asked him the same question,” Dowling recalled with a grin. “It wasn’t until later that day that I told them I’d won $1 million. They were thrilled!”
While at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim his cheque, Dowling said he wants to share his winnings with his kids and put his money toward investments. Not to be left out, he’s also buying himself a brand-new vehicle.
The winning ticket was purchased at Petro-Canada on County Road 41 in Napanee.
All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, check out these resources.