Another Essex County couple has won big.
Bernadette and Kenneth McLean of Essex are overjoyed after winning $5 million from the March 23 LOTTO 6/49 draw, according to the OLG.
“We stopped for a coffee while travelling through Whitby so we decided to also buy a lottery ticket,” said Bernadette McLean, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto where the couple picked up their winnings. “On April 7 we decided to check a few old tickets at the store. When I scanned the third ticket in the self-checker it said ‘Big Winner.’”
Initially, Kenneth thought they won $500,000.
“Then we realized it was a much larger win: $5 million larger! That’s when we knew this was a big deal,” he said.
Bernadette and Kenneth waited before validating their ticket.
“We left the store and went home so we could get our wits about us. We phoned our children to share the exciting news. Our daughter joked saying, ‘What did you win? Five bucks?’” Bernadette McLean said. “This win has a few more zeros.”
Bernadette and Kenneth are planning to go on a road trip with friends, vacation in Florida and purchase new furniture.
“This win means no worries for the future. We can put money away for our retirement. And we can’t wait to spoil our children and our future grandchildren,” said the couple.
The winning ticket was purchased at Esso on Taunton Road in Whitby.
It's not the only recent jackpot in Essex County. Essex resident Alfred Ayotte hit a $1.6-million Lotto 6/49 jackpot on April 6 and a Belle River couple won $500,000 in the Lotto Max MaxMillions in March.
