Toronto, ON – Daniel Kukko and Werner Maute of Thunder Bay can “find their possible” after winning a LOTTO 6/49 prize worth $1 million in the Gold Ball Draw on September 4, 2024.

Daniel and Werner have been friends for 30 years and were once coworkers. They have been playing the lottery together as a way to stay connected. Daniel picks up their LOTTO 6/49 and LOTTO MAX Quick Pick tickets, always adding ENCORE. Now, the duo is thrilled to share the news of their first big win!

“I scanned our LOTTO 6/49 ticket on the OLG app and saw a bunch of zeros and commas,” Daniel recalled, as he and Werner visited the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim their winnings. “I checked it again and showed my family to make sure what I was seeing was real. Then I took a screenshot and sent it to Werner.”

“I was on vacation in Germany at the time,” said Werner. “When I received the screenshot, I was wowed. It was unbelievable for few seconds, and then I was overcome with joy. I called Daniel, and when he answered, I said, ‘I hope this is real because this is one expensive phone call!’ Daniel laughed, saying, ‘I think you can afford it.’”

“We played the lottery together to keep in touch, never expecting to win. I used to joke with my family, saying, ‘Someone’s going to win the lottery, and it won’t be you,” Werner chuckled. “Now they tell me, ‘Someone’s going to win the lottery, and it won’t be us because it’s you!’”

As for what comes next, Werner plans to share his winnings with his child, do some work around the house, and enjoy a vacation. Daniel intends to retire, share with his children, pay some bills, and travel as well.

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 Circle K on Hodder Avenue in Thunder Bay.

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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