After weeks of unclaimed jackpots, a single ticket bears the winning numbers for Friday night's $50-million Lotto Max draw. Lottery officials say the winning stub was purchased in Ontario.
There were also 4 MaxMillions prize winners as well, with the tickets for those $1 million prizes sold in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and St. John's, Newfoundland.
For those dreaming of what a big lottery win would be like, Linda and Don Ingram can tell you. Last year, they won a $50 million Lotto Max jackpot and say life ever since has been.… well, a little dull.
When the Ingrams won their jackpot, they were living in a tiny Oshawa apartment, trying to make ends meet as cooks at a local diner. When they hit the jackpot and picked up their cheque, the couple told reporters that their big dream was to buy “a nice big home.”
“No more apartment,” said Don. “Just a nice big house and retire,” added Linda.
So the first thing the couple bought was a fully-furnished home in Durham, which they showed off this week to CTV Toronto’s Austin Delaney, asking him not to reveal the home’s exact location.
Don says the big kitchen sold him on the house. Linda says the house has certainly been a dream come true.
“When we took the final tour and Don said to the real estate agent, ‘Ok if she wants it, she can have it,’ well, I started crying. The agent started crying, and I cried every day for two weeks. I was so happy to have this house and get out of the apartment,” she says.
Interestingly, just this week, some other lottery winners moved in next door. They had won a $25 million jackpot.
Other than the house, the couple hasn’t spent a lot of money. They got a Dachshund puppy but haven’t bothered with any flashy cars, big trips or fancy clothes.
“No, no, we're just the same old boring people,” says Don.
“I’m still doing my thing,” says Linda. “Zellers is now gone, but I still like to shop at Zellers, Wal-Mart, Giant Tiger, stuff like that, dollar stores.”
They retired from the diner but admit that life ever since has been “boring.”
“It is. It’s just boring,” says Linda.
Of the $50 million they won, the Ingrams have given away $20 million to various charities and family, including Linda’s 10 siblings.
“We weren't out to make everybody rich, just a little more comfortable. There are a few people we made rich, but the rest are just living a little easier,” says Don.
When they first won, the Ingrams would receive bags full of mail from strangers, all wanting a piece of their winnings.
“There were all these sob stories: ‘I owe $76,000 on my mortgage and I know that is nothing compared to $50 million. Can you please pay my mortgage?’ ‘We're destitute, my kids live in tents,’ ‘I have cancer’ -- just stuff like that, all the time, bags and bags and bags,” says Linda.
Their advice for the winners of the latest Lotto Max jackpot and the record-setting Powerball jackpot in the States?
“Get good financial advice, try and keep a straight head on your shoulders and don't let it ruin your life,” offers Linda.
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Austin Delaney
