Quinte region lottery players continue to win big.
Most of a group of 21 Lotto 649 winners who all work together in the mining industry live in and around the Quinte region, and they are all celebrating a $1 million victory in the June 18 Gold Ball Draw.
The group members include:
Cory Goodfellow of Brighton
Christopher Adam Manno of Brighton
Christopher Mark Campbell of Yarker
Christopher McBride of Brighton
Connor Bradshaw of Cobourg
Dave Groves of Elliot Lake
Douglas Frank Arthur of Colborne
James Douglas Greer of Colborne
Jeffrey Barry Fenton of Colborne
John Edward Meyer of Carrying Place
Michael Elgin Bartley of Colborne
Michael Germane of Colborne
Michael John Mutton of Castleton
Oluwafunni Bola Taiwo of Oshawa
Richard Allan Goodfellow of Brighton
Ronald Pillsworth of Colborne
Ronald William Laver of Colborne
Sefton Grell of Whitby
Shawn Arthur of Grafton
Shawn Stone of Brighton
Timothy Murney Cooney of Belleville
Goodfellow says the group has been playing the lottery together for over 30 years.
“I was at the grocery store when I discovered we’d won big,” the father of two recalled while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to collect their winnings. “After checking our ticket, the winning sound went off, and I immediately texted the group chat to let them know we’d won big!”
“At first, I was shocked and in denial. Even two days later, I still didn’t believe it!” Cory said with a chuckle.
“Everyone was so surprised — especially our new employee, who has only been working with us since January. When I called her to share the news, she was in disbelief. I could hear her kids celebrating in the background!”
“Winning is such an exciting and overwhelming feeling,” Cory continued. “I feel happy for myself, but even happier for all these people I work with. This win has brought us all closer.”
Each group member has their own plans for their portion of the windfall. One will purchase a new vehicle, another intends to put it toward their mortgage, and others will use some for fun.
Meanwhile, a Madoc woman upped the ante and went ‘all in’ to win the OLG Poker Lotto All In jackpot.
Combined with a $5,000 win on the instant portion of her Poker Lotto play, Lisa Parsons won a grand total of $135,387.20.
Parsons, 51, has been a loyal lottery player with OLG for decades. Now, she’s delighted to share the story of her first major win.
“I found out I had won while I was at the store. I was in disbelief,” Lisa recalled while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim her winnings. “I said to the clerk, ‘Pinch me so I know it’s real!’
Lisa said people in the store began congratulating her, and she couldn’t wait to spread the news. “I told everyone I knew. Everyone was so happy for me,” she said with a smile. “For the past few weeks, I’ve been saying to myself, ‘I can’t believe this!’ It’s totally amazing. Winning is a surreal feeling,” she concluded.
The winning ticket was purchased at Guardian – Johnston Pharmacy on St Lawrence Street East in Madoc.
(BROCK ORMOND)
