Catalin Pascu, an Oakville retiree, has been playing the lottery for 25 years. But a few weeks ago, he got the exact order correct in the OLG's Encore lottery to win $100,000.
A father of two and grandfather of one, Pascu says he's "thrilled to share" he won, and likes to play Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max.
"I’m beyond grateful," Pascu said, smiling during an interview. "My wife and I are both retired, and this win is truly a blessing. Winning comes with an overwhelming mix of feelings. You play the lottery to win, but you never imagine it will actually happen to you!"
The winning ticket was purchased from the Fortinos grocery store on Dundas Street West in north Oakville.
"I was at the grocery store when I remembered I had a few tickets to check. The clerk scanned them for me, and suddenly, the lottery terminal froze," Pascu recalled, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings.
"It was unbelievable! I couldn’t stop laughing. There were a few ladies behind me in line. I saw one’s jaw drop, while the other said, ‘Wow! This is the first time I’m seeing a real winner right in front of my eyes!’"
To win, he matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in exact order in the Dec. 14 Lotto 6/49 draw to win a $100,000 prize.
"When I shared the incredible news with my wife and kids, no one believed me,” Pascu chuckled. “I’m known to be a jokester, so no one took me seriously until I showed them the ticket and validation slip."
With his windfall, Pascu plans to pay some bills and travel with his wife. He also looks forward to enjoying his retirement in a new way and embracing the finer things in life.
Encore offers 22 ways to win and can be played in conjunction with most lottery games for an extra $1. There are two Encore draws every day.
OLG says they "support safe play and wants to keep the fun in the game. That’s why OLG is proud to be a leader in promoting responsible gambling with our globally recognized PlaySmart program."