He's been playing the lottery since he was 18; now, at 44, he just won big

One lottery player is excited to make plans after winning big.

Conrad Bess, a resident of Brampton, Ontario, has been playing the lottery for over 25 years. The 44-year-old father of three said that he’s been playing the lottery ever since he turned 18 and the years of persistence finally paid off.

“My wife bought this ticket for me,” said Bess. He then went to the store to scan his ticket and was stunned when he realized that he was a winner.

“I had to scan it multiple times,” he recalled. But it was no mistake: Bess won a Maxmillions prize worth $1 million in the October 4 Lotto Max draw.

“Then I called my wife,” he said. However, Bess wasn’t the only one who was overwhelmed because he said, “She was in tears when I told her.”

Conrad Bess/OLG

While at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his million-dollar cheque, Bess shared that he has several plans for his money: he’ll be using the money to pay off his mortgage and complete some renovations. He’ll also be saving some of the money for his kids’ future and will be planning a family vacation.

For Bess, the reality of being a million dollars richer is going to take some getting used to.

“There’s been sleepless nights, excitement, and confusion,” he said. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Bess’ wife purchased the winning ticket Woodbine Racetrack on Rexdale Boulevard in Etobicoke.