A Toronto man who only recently checked a Lotto 6/49 lottery ticket he bought back in June is now $2.5 million richer.
Scarborough resident Christopher Baker’s windfall was detailed in a news release issued by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) on Thursday.
The Crown corporation said Baker, who works as a designer, plays the lottery occasionally and typically buys Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max tickets using the “Quick Pick” option to choose his numbers at random.
On June 15, unbeknownst to Baker, he won half of the $5-million jackpot, which was split with one other winning ticket. But, he didn’t check his numbers until weeks later.
“I was at home when I remembered I had a little stack of tickets I had yet to check,” Baker told the OLG while picking up his winnings.
As he was scanning his collection of tickets on the OLG app, he arrived at the last one – which was the winner.
“I scanned my ticket, saw the ‘Big Winner’ screen, and wondered, ‘How much did I win?’ Then I saw the prize amount and couldn’t process all the zeros!”
Baker said he couldn’t believe it at first, but as he double and triple checked the details, the gravity of his win sunk in.
“I never thought I would win big. I’m very grateful. It’s truly something special and kind of crazy,” he laughed.
As for what he’ll do with the windfall, Baker said he plans to make long-term investments for himself and his kids while celebrating in the short-term with a vacation.
Baker purchased his ticket at the Pik-Kwik Convenience store on Kingston Road in Scarborough, the OLG said.