Many dream of winning big when it comes to betting and there are few potential wins to rival the biggest lottery prizes handed out by the OLG. From a thousand dollars a day for life to lump sums as high as $70m, the OLG’s lottery games have made dreams come true for many Ontario players, and even more have won a tasty thousand or ten thousand dollar prize along the way. The OLG also offers jackpot slot games that can have top prizes in the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, for players who prefer casino games. And, of course, there are many other operators in the province too.
The $68m Winner
In 2023 the Lotto 6/49 game saw its biggest ever winner claim an amazing $68m. Noel Patricio, of Toronto, was the lucky fellow who won a life-changing sum of money. In an ironic twist, the multi-millionaire stated he did not want to change, and planned to be the same person and continue working. Patricio, who worked in housekeeping, elaborated a little and said he might slightly reduce his workload. He explained that he loved both his work and those with whom he works, which gave meaning to his job.
Initially, Patricio had misread his winnings and thought he had made ‘only’ $68,000. It was only after he called his sister to tell her the good news that she suggested he check the number of zeroes. Upon realizing he had won tens of millions, he kept working through the day, and regularly went to check and check again that his ticket really had won that much cash. Patricio’s immediate plans for the huge sum were relatively modest, and included taking his sisters on a holiday to Italy. On the sporting side of things, the newly minted millionaire also had a desire to see the Toronto Raptors, and Rafael Nadal, play in person.
Kieron’s Cool $1m Birthday Present
It can be difficult to think of what to get someone as a birthday gift, and in December 2022 occasional lottery player Kieron was given a ticket as a present from her son. This turned out to be a rather memorable gift, as the ticket ended up winning no less than a million dollars. Kieron wanted to give the cash to her son, but he insisted she keep it. Despite that, she indicated she was going to share her windfall with both her sons.
Trucker’s Instant $1m
Another in the long list of great OLG wins was achieved in April 2023 by Robert Dikan. The Windsor resident and trucker received quite the message on his OLG casino app while in the store. After months of playing the lottery regularly, it was game #2058, Instant Jackpot Multiplier, which proved to be a major moment for Dikan. The 62 year old won a million dollars, and indicated his desire to use the money for clearing debts and travelling, as well as creating financial security for his retirement.
Blackjack Sarah Makes a Grand Start
The OLG not only provides huge lottery payouts, it also has a wide array of casino games to enjoy, including slots and classic table games. None is more old school than blackjack, and this easy to learn but hard to master card game is one that drew the attention of Sarah from Ottawa. Being a smart cookie, Sarah took advantage of a 100% match deposit bonus to turn her $50 deposit into $100, and then used this doubled playing fund and her own skill to turn that $100 into winnings of $1,000. Blackjack’s low house edge and the emphasis on wise decision-making means this card game is an ideal choice for sharp players, and by doubling her bankroll with an OLG match deposit bonus Sarah was able to make a very tasty profit indeed.
Jay’s Great Day
June 2023 saw another very substantial winner emerge from the OLG’s ticket holders, with Jay Jayasinghe scooping the jackpot from the Lotto Max prize draw. Jayasinghe had played the lottery on a regular basis ever since he moved to Canada, and his epic win was also well-timed as it came just a week after his daughter graduated university. Upon confirming he had the winning ticket, Jayasinghe had a feeling of unreality, with goosebumps and tears, and the days afterwards vanished in a blur. His plans with the $35m fortune were to support his daughter’s education and to buy a new home. Indulging in travel around Canada’s outstanding natural beauty, and seeing the Rockies in particular, was also on Jayasinghe’s agenda.
Zhe Wang’s Epic Lottery Win
The OLG’s lottery and casino games have created many a recent millionaire and this has been the case for some years. Back in 2015, Zhe Wang, a woman from Mississauga, won a fantastic $64m playing Lotto 6/49. This single ticket won her a record-breaking sum, which was, at the time, the largest amount ever won in the Canadian lottery. Tidings of her astonishing good fortune spread far and wide as the OLG made use of social media to report on the huge jackpot win. Very few people have come close to matching this amazing result, although Noel Patricio, mentioned earlier, did break it with his 2023 prize of some $68m.
Free Play Fortune
There’s no such thing as a free lunch, or so they say. But just as supermarkets may offer free grocery samples, online betting sites such as the OLG can offer free/no deposit bonuses. The OLG’s Free Play ticket is a perfect example of something for nothing in the real world, and one player who made the best possible use of it was Yvonne. Using her Free Play ticket on the 6/49 game she won an incredible $36m. Which just goes to show it always pays to check the numbers, even if the ticket was free. It might just win a life-changing sum of money.
Winners at Other Legit Online Casinos in Canada
As the OLG is the only legit casino in Ontario, there are other different legit casinos in each province. For example, PlayNow is in BC, Espacejeux is Quebec and Play Alberta in Alberta. In particular, Play Alberta has paid out large sums, with six figure prizes awarded by the likes of Desert Fantasy, RoboCash, and Fortune Coin. When it comes to the largest jackpots won from Play Alberta then VIP Ultra is the top game. VIP Ultra has doled out some truly astronomical sums, with one player from Fort McMurray claiming $480,000 and another from Edmonton winning $325,000.
The OLG has also seen some huge wins, including many millionaires made in 2023. Whether playing regularly, receiving a Free Play ticket or a ticket as a gift, or making use of bonuses and casino games there are plenty of prizes to be won.