Northern Ont. man realizes he won millions after forgetting about a lottery ticket
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.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.