Group of meat market workers win lottery after years of playing together
A group of friends and coworkers who love playing the lottery were in for a surprise when they discovered they had finally won.
Essex, Ont., residents Linda Fenton, Mary Ann Reaume, Rhonda Bonneau, and Sandra Brush work together at a local meat market. For the past five years, the group has been playing the Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max every week and has continued the tradition even though Reaume has since retired.
Fenton recalled the moment when she found out about their win.
“It was a Sunday morning when I scanned our ticket on the OLG app and discovered we’d won,” she said. “In shock and with shaky hands, I quickly began calling everyone to share the good news.”
It turns out that the group had won a Lotto 6/49 second prize worth $88,907 in the Dec. 21, 2024, draw.
When Reaume heard about their win, she stated, “I couldn’t believe what Linda was telling me! I was so surprised.”
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Bonneau added, “I said, ‘Hold on! Let me put you on speakerphone so my husband can hear this.’ I thought, ‘There’s no way this is real.’ I was shaking, too! This was the best news I’d heard in a while.”
Brush recalled being stunned when Fenton told her the news.
“I doubted what Linda was telling me and said, ‘Are you kidding me? Don’t play with me,” she stated.
Fenton said the group shared the news with their families, who were “thrilled” for them.
When describing what it feels like to win, Bonneau said it was like “finding out you’re pregnant.”
“You know you’re having a baby, but it doesn’t feel real until you’re holding it,” she shared.
While picking up their cheque at the OLG Prize Centre, Brush said she couldn’t imagine winning the prize with anyone else.
“It’s just beautiful and has brought so much joy,” she said.
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Fenton has no big plans for her winnings yet will use her money to pay bills and invest. Bonneau will use her money to help with her son’s upcoming wedding and head to Europe for a vacation.
Brush also has travel plans.
“I’m going on a trip to Cuba in March and I will save the rest. Oh! And I’ll buy a bunch of Lindor chocolates,” she said.
For Reaume, the win came just in time for a significant milestone.
“My 50th wedding anniversary is coming up soon, so my husband and I are planning a trip,” she shared. “We’re thinking of visiting Ireland.”
Bonneau said the experience was “wonderful,” but they haven’t seen the last of them yet.
“This is something the girls and I will talk about for years! We can’t wait to come back and collect a $50 million jackpot,” she concluded with a big smile.
The winning lottery ticket was purchased at Circle K on Talbot Street North in Essex.
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.