Canadian lottery winner had to get store owner to convince his wife he won big

An Ontario resident and his wife were in disbelief when they hit the lottery jackpot.

Welland resident Richard Borgatti is celebrating after winning a $350,000 top prize with Instant Crossword Extreme.

The healthcare worker has been playing the lottery with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) a couple of times a week for 20 years.

OLG

He especially likes to play Proline and Instant Crossword. This is the father of two and grandfather of one’s first big lottery win.

“I hadn’t noticed my win until I scanned my ticket using the store’s ticket checker,” Borgatti recounted while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his windfall.

“I thought I’d won $3,500, and I was shocked! When I realized I’d actually won $350,000, I was in total disbelief. It was a very happy feeling.”

He says it took his wife some convincing before she believed he had won the lottery.

“When I told my wife the news, of course, she didn’t believe me,” he laughed. “I had to get the store owner on the phone to convince her.”

Borgatti and his wife are grateful for the prize.

“Winning is an incredible feeling, like a weight lifted off my shoulders,” he smiled.

They have some important plans for the lottery jackpot.

“My wife and I will travel to China to visit my son, who lives there. I’ll also spoil my grandchild, and I plan to retire,” he concluded.

Don’t forget to check your tickets from this past week’s draws.

One lucky Canadian beat the odds and is a new multimillionaire after Wednesday’s Lotto 6/49 draw.

No one hit the $55-million jackpot from Tuesday’s Lotto Max draw, so it balloons to $60 million next week.

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.