"This was my golden ticket": Stocking stuffer lottery ticket turns out to be a winner

Christmas Day was extra memorable for one Ontario lottery winner after a gift turned to be worth far more than she expected.

Hamilton resident Tanya Monahan said that her husband gave her a special stocking stuffer gift: a $100 Instant Ultimate lottery ticket.

The 45-year-old said that she only plays the lottery occasionally.

“Instant games are my favourite,” she said. “When I got the ticket, I made a joke that I felt like I was Willy Wonka from the chocolate factory and this was my golden ticket.”

After celebrating with her family, Monahan recalls how she finally found some time to herself.

Tanya Monahan/OLG

“At the end of a busy Christmas Day, I sat down to play my ticket and realized I won $100,000,” she said. “My heart was pounding! My whole family was around for that moment.”

As a thank you to her husband, Monahan said that she’ll be splurging by getting him a nice birthday present.

While at the OLG Prize Centre to pick up her cheque, she said she already has plans for her money.

“I’ll put some towards a new vehicle, pay some bills, and save,” she said. “I am humbled and so grateful.”

Monahan’s winning ticket was purchased at Big Bonus Convenience and Food Mart on Queenston Road in Hamilton.