10-Hour Drive for the Win: the Story of Lotto MAX Ontario Winners

Lotto MAX managed to make the headlines once again with its Main prize reaching a total of CA$65 million earlier this month. The winners of the grand jackpot contacted Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and validated their ticket soon after the draw. James and Eerikka Wickman from Hearst drove some 10 hours to collect their prize.

September 8 was a special day for many Canadians interested in lottery gaming, as it brought the continuously swelling Main prize coming with the popular Lotto MAX draw-based game. All eyes were set on the prize, as it had been growing over the previous weeks without a single winning ticket becoming eligible for it.

CA$65,000,000 Main Prize

Finally, the draw came and went and the Crown corporation announced that the system has indicated that there was a winning ticket sold in the Timiskaming/Cochrane District ahead of the draw. The purchaser of that ticket had a total of 52 weeks to claim their prize by contacting Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and this is what they did. Retiree James Wickamn heard the news regarding the location of the winning ticket on the radio.

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He said that he was driving when he heard that the special piece of paper had been sold in his area and made his way home, in the hopes of being the lucky individual eligible for this Main prize. Mr. Wickman used his cellphone camera to scan the ticket with the premium OLG mobile app optimizing the process. It scanned the ticket and immediately confirmed that this was, in fact, the winning Lotto MAX ticket.

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This is when the big letters spelling Congratulations appeared on his phone screen and changed his life for good. Mr. Wickman shared the good news with his wife, Eerikka and at first, she refused to believe him that they are multimillionaires. The next step was for him to verify his ticket, in order to prove it to her.

Lotto MAX

Once the verification process took place, Mr. Wickman once again received the confirmation that he is the winner of CA$65 million. The lucky purchase was made at the Canadian Tire Gas Bar on Front Street in Hearst ahead of the September 8 draw. According to the arrangements the Crown corporation has, the retail store is now eligible for a one-percent slice of the prize.

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This amounts to some CA$650,000 for the Canadian Tire Gas Bar. Mr. Wickman drove some 10 hours with some 22 other members of their family, in order to reach Toronto in time for the prize claiming ceremony. It was an emotional one, as children and grandchildren are going to benefit from the millions of Canadian dollars. 

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Mr. Wickman remembered that the largest sum he had ever won was bagged back in 1972. He became eligible for CA$5,000 in a gas station contest. As for their plans for the future, the winner wants to purchase a new home, as well as a new vehicle. The family will very soon swell to 12 grandchildren and the financial support will also be useful.