Lotto win will go towards Niagara-area woman’s bills

A Niagara region woman plans to put her winnings towards every day expenses.

Today, OLG announced that Thorold resident Patricia Tomlinson matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in the exact order in the Aug. 27, 2024 Lotto Max draw to win $100,000.

Tomlinson, a retiree, is celebrating her first big win after playing the lottery for over 30 years.

“I checked the Lotto Max winning numbers on OLG.ca, but none matched the numbers on my ticket. I didn’t check the winning Encore number and nearly threw out my ticket, but thankfully, I ended up holding on to it,” she told OLG.

“I went to the store to have my ticket validated and saw the words ‘Big Winner’ appear on the screen. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was left numb and had to figure out where to put the ticket for safekeeping. I first shared the news with my family. They thought I was joking until I had them check the winning numbers. Like me, they just couldn’t believe it.”

As for what she’ll do with her windfall, Tomlinson told OLG she’ll use the money to “pay some bills.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Avondale on Richmond Street in Thorold.