TORONTO, ON – Saying “yes” to ENCORE paid off for Alex Parucha of Toronto. He matched all seven ENCORE numbers in exact order in the May 20, 2025 LOTTO MAX draw to win $1 million!

Alex, 69, has been playing the lottery with OLG for nearly 30 years. He enjoys LOTTO MAX, LOTTO 6/49, and the occasional INSTANT ticket. Typically, Alex plays once a week, using OLG’s Quick Pick feature to make his selections and adding ENCORE to his tickets when the store clerk asks if he’d like to. Now, he’s delighted to share the story of his first big win!

“I won a Free Play, so I went to the store to claim it,” the retiree recalled, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to collect his winnings. “When I handed my ticket to the cashier, she asked me if I wanted to add ENCORE to it, so I said, ‘Sure, why not?’”

The day after the draw, Alex scanned his ticket using the OLG app on his phone and was stunned by the prize amount before him. “I was in disbelief,” he said with a smile. “I double-checked my ticket and counted the zeroes. When I realized it was a $1 million prize, I was overwhelmed.”

Alex shared the astonishing news with his son. “He was in shock and checked the ticket on his phone as well, just to be sure. Later on, I told my daughter, and she was very excited. She said “We’re millionaires now! My kids and I are very happy about this win.”

With his windfall, Alex plans to buy property, share with family, and add to his savings. “Being a winner is a very emotional experience,” he reflected. “It’s brought a lot of disbelief, happiness, and excitement. I feel so fortunate to have won this prize.”

ENCORE offers 22 ways to win and can be played in conjunction with most lottery games for an extra $1. There are two ENCORE draws every day.

The winning ticket was purchased at Dawes Dollar & Video on Dawes Road in East York.

OLG supports safe play and wants to keep the fun in the game. That’s why OLG is proud to be a leader in promoting responsible gambling with our globally recognized PlaySmart program.

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Celebrating 50 years of wins and giving back! OLG is a crown agency that contributes to a better Ontario by delivering great entertainment experiences for our customers. Acting in a socially responsible way, OLG conducts and manages land-based gaming facilities; the sale of province-wide lottery games; Internet gaming; and the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres. OLG is also helping support the horse racing industry in Ontario. OLG has been giving back to Ontario since 1975, generating approximately $62 billion for the people and the Province to support key government priorities like health care; the treatment and prevention of problem gambling; and support for amateur athletes. Each year profits from OLG's operations also support host communities, Ontario First Nations, lottery retailers and local charities across the province.

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