Retired Ontario couple win $50K lottery, have very different plans for how they'll spend their jackpot
'When we discovered we won big, we couldn’t believe it and began to scream'
After playing the lottery for over 20 years together, Patricia Willert, 72, and John Lantz, 79, have different plans for how they want to spend their $50,000 jackpot.
“I plan to use this as my ‘mad money’,” said Willert.
“I’m going to put my portion in the bank,” said Lantz. “I feel very, very, very good!”
For the common law couple from St. Mary’s, Ont., winning at Instant Crossword has been an incredible experience. It was just another day when the retirees sat down on the couch and checked their tickets on the OLG App. The duo were very excited when they discovered they had won.
“I’m usually in charge of scanning tickets while Pat looks over my shoulder,” said Lantz, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up their winnings.
“When we discovered we won big, we couldn’t believe it and began to scream,” said Willert.
“All I was doing was absorbing Pat’s excitement!” said Lantz.
Despite playing for so long, the recent jackpot marks their first big win. The duo’s lucky ticket was purchased at Stratford Variety on Downie Street in Stratford, Ont.
How to play Instant Crossword?
Instant Crossword is available for $3 a play, and the top prize is $50,000. Players will have to scratch the 18 available letters one at a time, and scratch the same letter as it appears on the crossword. If at least two complete words in the crossword puzzle are revealed, players win the corresponding prize found in the Prize Legend.
The odds of winning the game are 1 in 3.91.
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.
