Northern Ont. man realizes he won millions after forgetting about a lottery ticket

Jerry Carpenter, 51, found out he won $2.5 million after he had completely forgot about his 6/49 ticket from December 2022. (Image courtesy of OLG)

A 51-year-old engineer from Terrace Bay says it was like a rollercoaster ride after splitting a $5 million jackpot in a Lotto 6/49 draw in December.

Jerry Carpenter won $2.5 million in Dec. 28 classic draw by matching all six numbers on his Lotto 6/49 ticket, Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) said in a news release Wednesday.

“Jerry’s ticket shared the jackpot with another ticket in Ontario,” the release said.

"We were returning from a family trip in Punta Cana and ended up stuck in Toronto due to a snowstorm, so I decided to pick up some tickets to kill some time. I shoved them in my bag and forgot about them," Carpenter told OLG in Toronto when picking up his winnings.

“A month later, I was looking for my daughter’s passport when I came across my tickets. I checked them on the OLG App and was so shocked to discover my win.”

He said his wife told him she went numb.

"We went from getting stuck in Toronto because of our canceled flights to winning $2.5 million," Carpenter said.

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As for what he is going to do with his windfall, he said he plans to save for retirement, set up an education fund for his children and travel the world.

"I would love to take a train around Europe with my wife and kids," Carpenter said.

"And it was always my dream to own a sailboat.”

He bought his winning ticket at Husky Truck Stop on Kennedy Road in Mississauga and said he has been playing the lottery for about five years.

Lotto 6/49 offers players a chance to win two different multi-million dollar jackpots every Wednesday and Saturday.

Playsmart offers information on gambling games.

There is help is available for those suffering from problem gambling. Call ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 to get connected to a counseling service in your area.

In North Bay, a lighthearted campaign to raise awareness about the true odds of winning is underway for the second year in a row and earlier this year in an 18-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. won a record-breaking $48 million jackpot in a different Lotto 6/49 draw.