Toronto, ON – Ross Barkwell of Owen Sound can “find his possible” after winning a LOTTO 6/49 second prize worth $260,636.80 in the April 9, 2025 LOTTO 6/49 draw.

Ross, a father of four and grandfather of three, has been playing the lottery with OLG for two years. He enjoys playing LOTTO 6/49, LOTTO MAX, and the occasional INSTANT ticket. He typically plays the lottery twice a week, using OLG’s Quick Pick feature for jackpot games. Ross is now delighted to share the news of his first big win!

“I wasn’t planning on buying any tickets that day, but my mom mentioned the LOTTO 6/49 jackpot was at $44 million,” Ross recalled, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to collect his winnings. “Her lucky number is 44, so I decided to purchase two tickets — one for me and one for her. I had initially planned to pick them up at my usual store, but something told me to go somewhere else. I listened to that little voice in my head — and now here I am, claiming $260,000!”

The following evening, Ross was relaxing in his living room when he remembered to check his ticket using the OLG app. “When I scanned it and saw the words ‘Big Winner,’ I thought I’d won $26,” he recounted. “I handed my phone to my wife and told her to take a look at my $26 win. She was stunned and said, ‘Honey…that’s $260,000!’ Then she double-checked to make sure we were looking at it correctly. We were both so shocked and excited!”

Ross signed his ticket and stored it in a secure place, but he admitted that he and his wife had trouble sleeping that night. “It was a lot for us to take in!” he said with a smile.

When Ross went to validate his ticket, his mother was there to share in the special moment. “She was so thrilled for me,” he said.

Looking back with gratitude, Ross reflected, “The amount isn’t what matters most to me. I feel incredibly grateful to be the one who won out of the millions of people playing.”

With his windfall, he plans to hit the road in an RV and invest for his retirement.

“Winning has been such a joyful experience — one that’s brought happiness and a sense of comfort. I look forward to enjoying more time with family, with a little relief from life’s financial pressures,” he concluded.

LOTTO 6/49 offers players a chance to win two multi-million dollar jackpots every Wednesday and Saturday, for the same $3 per play.

The Classic Draw offers a fixed $5 million jackpot for every draw, while the Gold Ball Draw guarantees a $1 million prize, or the growing jackpot that starts at $10 million and can exceed $60 million. Click here for more information about the new LOTTO 6/49.

The winning ticket was purchased at Balmy Beach Convenience on Grey Road in Owen Sound.

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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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. Since 1975, OLG has generated approximately $62 billion to the people and Province of Ontario 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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