A Peterborough, Ont., man says he started playing lottery tickets in his dad’s honour and it recently paid off.
According to the OLG, Robert Parker, 46, claimed $212,849.20 after winning a second-place prize in the June 30 Lotto Max draw.
Parker, a truck driver, says lottery tickets are a family connection.
“My dad used to buy tickets all the time,” he said while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his windfall. “I started playing in his honour.”
His winning ticket was purchased at Mister Convenience on Orpington Road in Peterborough.
Parker says one morning he checked his ticket at the store and learned he’d won big.
“It was indescribable — I felt calm when I scanned the ticket, and the cashier was thrilled for me,” he said.
He also texted his mom to ask if she was sitting down before sharing the surprising news over the phone.
“I called and said, ‘I’m pretty sure I won.’ She was more excited than I was,” he said.
With his winnings, Parker plans to manage his finances.
“It would take me a long time to save this money myself,” he said. “Life has been a roller-coaster, but this is going to make things easier. With a win like this, you’re able to put your feet up and take a breath.”