Man wins $50,000 lottery with Ontario 49 — decides to go to work that same day
What started off as a normal day for John Bosnjak ultimately included quite a bit of 'jumping and screaming.'
A long-time lottery player said he had a hard time concentrating at work after discovering he had won $50,000.
John Bosnjak is celebrating his first big lottery win after securing the second prize in the Oct. 4 Ontario 49 draw. Despite the exciting news, the 59-year-old decided to stay calm and go to work — but that might be because the reality of being a lottery winner had not hit him just yet.
“It was hard to get through my day and concentrate on work,” said Bosnjak while at the OLG Price Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings.
With the prize still lingering in his mind, Bosnjak couldn't quite grasp his luck.
“I don’t think it really hit me until the next day. I kept asking, ‘Is this a dream?’” said Bosnjak, a resident of St. Thomas, Ont.
He’s not the first Canadian winner that continued with their daily routine after discovering they had won life-changing lottery prizes. Only a few months ago, an Ontario truck driver won $132,258.20 and went to work that same day — and just a month ago, a Quebec man won a whopping $50,000,000 with Lotto Max, and still has no plans to retire.
For Bosnjak, it was just another regular day when he decided to check his ticket online.
“I was getting up for work in the morning and enjoying a coffee with my wife when I checked my ticket on the OLG app,” he said.
“I saw the Big Winner screen and next thing I know we were jumping and screaming!”
The long-time lottery player said he has been playing the lottery for over 15 years now, but this is his first big win.
“I play Lotto Max as a group, and I started playing Ontario 49 about a year ago because the odds of winning are better,” said Bosnjak.
Ontario 49 is a $1 per play game, and the draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday. Each play includes one set of six numbers from 1 to 49. Players can match all 6 numbers to win the $2 million jackpot.
Bosnjak purchased his winning ticket at Family Mart on Talbot Street in St. Thomas, and the winning numbers that day were 01, 24, 25, 30, 34, 40 with a bonus of 8. He was able to match five out of six numbers and the bonus, leading to his second prize win of $50,000.
With his winnings, Bosnjak has decided to pay some bills and put some money away to treat himself and his wife to an unforgettable getaway for their 25th anniversary.
Tools to stop gambling
If you're looking to take a break from gambling, self-exclusion programs can be effective tools. See here for resources that are available across Canada.
