Ontario lottery winner declares, ‘I won, baby! I won!’ as large prize collected

‘After 35 years of buying lottery tickets, Vivian Doria has a right to be excited now that her numbers came through for her.

The 69-year-old resident of Milton, Ont. said she was settling into retirement, and now she can do so with some peace of mind with an extra $100,000 in the bank.

Doria matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in exact order in the Nov. 25 Lotto Max draw to earn her prize.

She picked up the $100,000 check on a recent visit to the OLG office in Toronto.

What is the secret to winning?

“I stick to the same numbers — the year my siblings and I came to Canada and our birthdays,” she said.

Doria discovered her win while checking her ticket at the store. When she saw the ‘Big Winner’ message, she was shocked and overjoyed.

“Through tears, I asked the store clerk if I was seeing things right. He looked at the screen, smiled wide, and said, ‘Yes, you just won $100,000!’ I was so overwhelmed I almost fell to the floor!”

She said she wanted to wait until she got home to share the news with her husband, but her excitement took over, and she decided to call him right away.

“At first, I was so overwhelmed that I could barely get the words out. I said, ‘I won, baby! I won!’ and my husband began crying too,” she said. “We were both filled with disbelief and gratitude.”

Doria went on to say that the money could not have come at a better time, as a recent flood at her home caused a lot of damage.

“The timing is just beyond perfect,” she said.

Along with the household repairs, she said she plans to put her winnings toward savings, investments, and home renovations. “I’m not planning anything extravagant. This win gives us comfort, security, and peace of mind,” she concluded.

The winning ticket was purchased at Circle K on Derry Road West in Milton.