Toronto, ON – Tears of joy began to flow as Elizabeth Trafford of Fergus logged into her banking app and clicked on one of her accounts, seeing a number very few people get to witness in their lifetime. “40 million, 107 dollars, and 93 cents! It’s gone up quite a bit. It’s in there now, and it’s quite something,” said Elizabeth, choking back her emotions during a recent OLG Winner Celebration. Elizabeth won the $40 million LOTTO MAX jackpot from the December 10, 2024 draw.
Ontario’s newest LOTTO MAX multi-millionaire is still coming to terms with the fact that her weekend routine turned into a life-changing experience. “Every Saturday I take my dog for a walk, then drive to a little nearby store to fill up with gas, grab a newspaper, and check my lottery tickets,” the retiree from southwestern Ontario explained. “The first ticket I checked at the lottery terminal wasn’t a winner, but the second one ‘blew up’ the machine, and all I saw was ‘Big Winner!’ I spoke with an OLG representative who called the store. When they told me exactly how much I’d won, I started to hyperventilate!”
Trying to grasp what was happening, Elizabeth went to her car and immediately called her son to share the news. “His initial reaction was disbelief, and it took a few minutes for him to understand this was not a joke.” Elizabeth says her son and his wife, who live in another community, jumped in their car and made their way to Fergus to be with her.
Elizabeth says the brain fog from her win started to lift a few days later. That’s when she began assembling the right professionals to help navigate the next exciting phase of her life. However, one of her biggest concerns was the security of her winning ticket., “All of a sudden, I realized this little slip of paper with Quick Pick numbers which I’d paid $6 for was now worth $40 million!”
Once Elizabeth was declared the official winner of the $40 million LOTTO MAX jackpot by the OLG Prize Centre, she started to settle into her win, and her enthusiasm started to build. “I see myself as a steward of this money. There’s so much good I can do with this windfall, and I want to give back in a meaningful way. In the coming months, I’ll work with the team I’ve gathered to identify and prioritize the causes and interests that are near and dear to me.”
At the top of Elizabeth’s list is ensuring her son is well taken care of, “You always want to give something wonderful to your child. He will get a nice house, but I’m also comforted by the fact that he will inherit this legacy. It’s important to know that this will go on.”
When asked what she wants to do for herself, Elizabeth says that exploring the world is at the top of her bucket list. “I’ve always wanted to travel, and that’s what I’ll get out of this win. I can now consider exotic places, and I think to myself, ‘I can actually do that now.’” In fact, Elizabeth had already planned a trip to South Africa before winning the $40 million jackpot. Now, she’s extending her visit to include a few more African countries and adding some special extras to the adventure as she settles into her new life as a multi-millionaire.
Elizabeth became very emotional when thinking about the reaction of those she shared the incredible news with, “It’s been an extraordinarily moving experience for me. They said, ‘If anyone deserves this, it’s you’. This is quite something, and it’s very meaningful to me.”
The winning ticket was purchased at Blinkhorn’s Corner Variety on St. David Street North in Fergus.
LOTTO MAX players in Ontario have won over $8.9 billion since 2009, including 111 jackpot wins and 937 MAXMILLIONS prizes, right across the province. LOTTO MAX is $5 per play and draws take place on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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