‘My mind went blank,’ says lotto winner from Mississauga of her big cash prize

Gabrielle Howald seems to be playing it safe — for now, at least — as she makes plans in the wake of her big lottery win.

The Mississauga woman, who’s retired and a grandmother, won $144,088.70 in the Feb. 11 Lotto Max draw.

Rather than rushing off to plan a big trip or make a major purchase, Howald told officials with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) she plans to save and invest her winnings for her retirement.

The lucky winner, who’s been playing the lottery with OLG for 20 years, collected the draw’s second prize thanks to a series of numbers that mark special family anniversaries.

“I checked my Lotto Max ticket at home, using the OLG app. At first, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and my mind went blank,” Howald said while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her winnings. “I scanned my ticket three times to be sure. I was nervous, but excited as well.

“I told my close family members and they were just as shocked,” she continued. “I shared screenshots from my phone so they knew it was real. It’s hard to explain the feeling of winning, but it’s certainly exciting.”

Howald added she regularly plays Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49, Ontario 49 and Daily Grand lottery games/tickets.

The winning ticket was purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart, on Queen Street South in Mississauga.

The OLG says Lotto Max players in Ontario have won more than $9 billion since 2009, including 114 jackpot wins and 937 Maxmillions prizes.

(Cover photo: OLG)