The OLG has revealed the identity of the Brampton, Ont. man who was the lucky Lotto Max jackpot winner worth $70 million — and scored big from a “quick pick” ticket.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation said in a release Friday, 54-year-old Manoharan Ponnuthurai won Dec. 17, 2021’s draw and although he is now a multi-millionaire, he does not want to retire just yet.
Ponnuthurai also said he won the jackpot from a Quick Pick ticket, not his own numbers which he sometimes plays.
He said he has been playing the lottery for about 30 years. It was something him and his father enjoyed playing to “dream about what could be,” he said.
“I started checking my numbers,” Ponnuthurai said. “One by one the numbers were matching and by the fourth number, I knew I won something. That’s when I started shaking and called my wife and children to help me check. As each number matched, my heart was racing faster and faster.”
He said he double checked the numbers on the OLG app and saw “BIG WINNER” come up on his phone.
“At that very moment I was still shaking but I was not loud. I was in shock and I quietly kept saying, ‘I won. I won!’” Ponnuthurai said.
Ponnuthurai said he won’t retire right away as he operates a small manufacturing company with several people who depend on him for jobs. His wife, however, is retiring and plans on going back to school.
He said he also plans to do some travelling with the family when it is safe to do so, specifically to Europe around the Mediterranean Sea. He also wants to give back to his community.
The winning ticket was bought at a Circle K at Torbram Road and Countryside Drive in Brampton, the OLG said.
The winning numbers for that draw were 09, 14, 16, 33, 39, 46 & 49 + Bonus 38.