"I love the work": $68M lottery win won't stop Canadian housekeeper from working two jobs
An Ontario man just became a multimillionaire after a huge lottery win, but it won’t stop him from doing what he loves.
Toronto resident Noel Patricio is rejoicing after winning a Lotto 6/49 prize worth $68 million in the Gold Ball Draw on September 27, 2023.
However, it’s not every day you hear of a multimillion-dollar lottery winner who wants to continue working!
“I love the work I do and the people I work with, and that makes my two jobs so meaningful to me. I want to be the same Noel,” explained Patricio, who works in the field of housekeeping, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his massive windfall.
Patricio is celebrating his birthday this week alongside the massive lottery win.
OLG
He’s a regular Lotto 6/49 player and purchased this ticket while on a break during work.
Upon hearing that the $68 million record-breaking Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball jackpot winning ticket was sold in Toronto, he remembered the ticket he had in his pocket.
“I checked my ticket on the OLG app and saw the Big Winner screen appear. I thought I won $68,000 and called my sister to tell her what I won,” he recalled.
“She asked me to count the zeroes, and I told her there were six of them. That’s when she corrected me and said, ‘That’s $68 million!’”
Patricio says he was in shock but still had work to do, so he snuck into the bathroom to keep checking the winning numbers with his sister on the phone.
He continued going into the bathroom and scanning his ticket again and again throughout the workday to make sure the “Big Winner” message was still there.
“All I could think was, ‘Is this a joke? Is this real? Will I wake up from this dream?’” he recounted.
“I finished my first job and checked my ticket several more times between my next shift – it was so unbelievable. Then I suddenly became so concerned on where to put this ticket to keep it safe!”
Patricio was so overwhelmed by the enormous prize that he decided to take his time before securing the lottery winnings at the OLG Prize Centre.
He really didn’t think of the irony of someone named “Noel” claiming this massive lottery prize during the holiday season.
“I needed to make sure I had everything in place before accepting this prize. I kept this news to myself and with my immediate family,” he said.
“When my colleagues would talk about the winning ticket sold in Toronto, I would stay quiet. It was too unbelievable to say, ‘It’s me!’”
Patricio has some big plans for his lottery windfall.
He loves the community he lives in, so he plans to renovate his current home — which he purchased a few years ago — while continuing to work two jobs.
He does plan on getting some leisure time and working less hours.
“I also want to take my sisters on a dream vacation to Italy and I will make more time for myself and work a little bit less, but still keep my job,” said Patricio.
He also wants to make some of his sports dreams come true.
“I am a fan of professional tennis, so I’ll probably travel to see Rafael Nadal play live. And I would also like to get myself season tickets to the Toronto Raptors.”
“I came to Canada with one suitcase and a few dollars – it’s unbelievable to think I am here as the Gold Ball Jackpot winner! I am ready to settle into my excitement and live an exciting life,” he concluded.
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