Port Colborne winner’s ‘heart stopped’ after $250,000 lottery win

It was a heart-stopping moment for a Port Colborne woman who won $250,000 playing the INSTANT BONUS MONEY.

Tanya Birrell, a 47-year-old mother of two, said she is a longtime lottery player who also likes playing LOTTO MAX, but is especially fond of the INSTANT tickets.

Like most, she completely misread the results when she checked her ticket on the OLG App at home. “At first, I thought I’d won $250,” she recalled. “When I realized it was $250,000, I was in shock!”

Birrell later went to the store with her husband to validate her ticket. “I had to scan it three times to make sure it was real. It felt like my heart stopped!”

She plans to manage her finances and share with her kids. “I also want to celebrate by having a nice lunch with my family,” she said.

“I’m so happy. It’s a comfortable feeling, but I can’t quite put it into words. It doesn’t feel real yet!”

The winning ticket was purchased at Sobeys on West Side Road in Port Colborne.