"I couldn’t believe all the zeroes I was seeing”: Mom of two wins massive lottery prize

One lottery player was starting her day as she always does by changing her baby’s diaper when she stopped to check her email and got a surprise.

Samantha Macrae, 32, is an office manager and mom of two who lives in London, Ontario. Macrae has been playing the lottery for years, buying her first lottery ticket at 18. She said she often plays Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 but occasionally buys an Instant ticket.

Macrae recalls how she woke up early to change her baby’s diaper, but instead of going back to sleep as usual, she decided to go through her messages.

“I noticed a different email from OLG, and when I clicked on it, it said I was a winner,” she said. Macrae had purchased a Lotto 6/49 ticket and was shocked to discover she had won a prize in the August 30, 2023 draw. Her prize: $1 million.

Samantha Macrae (OLG)

“I was so excited I started to cry and then scream with pure joy,” she recalled. “I couldn’t believe all the zeroes I was seeing.”

She said she shared the happy news with her boyfriend and her boss.

“They were both filled with joy,” she said.

While claiming her prize at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto, she said she knows exactly what she’ll be doing with her winnings.

“I will buy a house, pay some bills, and save for my kid’s education,” she shared. “It’s an amazing feeling — I always see other people winning, and now my dream came true.”

Lotto 6/49 offers players a chance to win two multi-million dollar jackpots every Wednesday and Saturday for the same $3 per play.