A 29-year-old Toronto man won $35 million playing Lotto Max in June and until now, had kept the life-changing news to himself.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) said in a news release Monday that Ginno Torres split the $70 million June 22 jackpot with a ticket holder in British Columbia.
The OLG said Torres, who is a recent college graduate, didn’t tell anyone about the win until he got his cheque.
“I wanted to make sure it was real before I surprised my family and friends with this incredible news,” Torres said in the release.
Torres checked his ticket a few days after the draw at a store in his neighbourhood, and initially thought he won $35,000, the OLG said. He went to a second store and checked again, and at that point knew he won big.
“That’s when I realized I won $35 million,” he said.
Get daily National news
“My stomach was in knots as I was thinking about what was happening.”
Torres went to another store and got the ticket validated by a retailer, at which point the winning bell on the terminal went off.
In the OLG statement, he shared some insight into what he plans to do with the money.
- Vancouver’s fire chief says public won’t notice response changes to some medical calls
- Young Canadians are looking for jobs — just not where employers are hiring
- Brother of Ontario man who died demands 911 call takers get regular hearing tests
- Saskatoon production aims to preserve the Nakoda language through a puppet show
-
![]()
Defence spending ‘not only tanks and guns,’ NATO-allied bank to secure Canada: Expert -
![]()
Mushrooms Making Music: Inside Arcadia Earth’s Wild New Exhibit -
![]()
Canada’s Snowbirds grounded until early 2030s as feds identify replacement aircraft -
![]()
Carney breaks ground on Nouveau Monde Graphite’s Matawinie Mine in Québec
“I am going to make sure my family is taken care of and I will make some investments to make sure I am well taken care of long into the future,” he said.
He said he also plans to share some money with charities, redecorate his home, commission some custom Indigenous art, and travel across Canada and when it’s safe, Europe and Asia.
The OLG said Torres is a regular lottery player and bought his ticket at King Grocery on King Street in Toronto.
Last month, Gary Hill of Kamloops, B.C., was revealed as the other winner in the $70 million June 22 jackpot.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.