Remember that $70 million Lotto Max ticket that was sold in the Kawartha Lakes back on February 20?
Today, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) announced the winners are Doug and Enid Hannon of Lakefield — who kept their $70-million win a secret from their entire family for almost two months until they could get financial and legal advice.
While Enid purchased the winning ticket at Kinmount Independent Grocer on the way to their “camp,” it was Doug who discovered the ticket was the jackpot winner the day after the draw when he checked the OLG app.
“I was completely unaware that a winning ticket had been sold in our area,” Doug said. “So when I saw ‘Big Winner’ on the phone screen, I was shaking! My heart was pounding. I had to stare at it for a while and process all those zeroes. Then I had to check it a few more times.”
Doug, who has been retired for a few years, decided not to mention anything to his wife of 51 years until she got home from work.
“I went to the garage and buried my head in some work while I struggled with disbelief and thought about our next steps,” Doug said.
Doug made sure dinner was ready when Enid got home and waited until after they ate to give her the news.
“Doug told me to come into the computer room, and the OLG website was on the computer screen and he told me to check the numbers on ticket,” she said. “When I realized we had won a prize, I first thought it was a $70,000 win. Doug told me to recount all the zeros and that’s when it hit me that we won $70 million!”
The couple “hugged and cried and started talking about this wonderful opportunity we now have to help family and others,” and decided to keep their win a secret — even from their grown children and grandchildren — until they could get financial and legal advice as they started to make some plans for the money.
“Keeping this secret was killing me,” said Enid, who is about to retire.
About a week before collecting their prize at a special OLG winner celebration in Lakefield on Monday (April 22), the couple finally told their children and grandchildren about their win.
As for what they are going to do with the money, the couple has shared a few of their plans.
“I would like to travel across Canada to experience the beautiful nature of this country from coast to coast,” said the outdoors-loving Doug.
“I have been dreaming about a new kitchen for years and now I will get it, along with some other improvements to the house because we love where we live, and we don’t want to move,” added Enid.
VIDEO: Doug and Enid Hannon of Lakefield win $70 million Lotto Max jackpot
However, the couple’s top priority will be to support their family.
“Our family is most important, and we want to share this with them,” Doug said. “I want to ensure everyone is safe, secure and well taken care of.”
They also want to share a portion of their winnings with some community causes close to their hearts.
At the end of the winner celebration, Doug and Enid decided to also share their big secret with their extended family members by inviting them to a “special family meeting” where they revealed the $70 million win with a promise of a big family trip to celebrate together.
“This is truly a blessing for us and our family,” the couple added. “Like many people, you always hope to win the lottery, but we never dreamt this would happen to us! We are so very thankful.”
OLG will be hosting a special lottery retailer celebration at Kinmount Independent Grocer (4072 Kawartha Lakes County Road 121, Kinmount) on Friday (April 26) from noon to 3 p.m. The event will feature a free community barbeque (while supplies last) as well as free Lotto Max vouchers for those 18 years of age and older (while supplies last).
