Walter Ostanek wins grand prize in hospital lottery

CTV Kitchener: Polka King picks up prize Walter Ostanek, Canada’s most prominent accordionist, took a trip to London to pick up his $1-million lottery prize.

Canada’s polka king is now $1 million richer.

Walter Ostanek was announced Tuesday morning as the grand prize in London’s Dream Lottery.

Ostanek, a renowned accordionist, has won three Grammy awards and still plays annually at Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest.

Lottery officials weren’t initially certain if the winning Ostanek was the same Walter Ostanek as the musician.

The confusion was cleared up later in the day, after Ostanek returned home from his daily performance at the Marineland theme park.

As the grand prize winner, Ostanek gets to choose between four possible prizes: a home in London, a luxury container home in Bayfield, a loft condo, and $1 million in cash.

The 81-year-old says that since he already has a home and doesn’t plan on moving, he’ll be taking the cash.

He says the money will stay in his family.

Proceeds from the Dream Lottery go to the London Health Sciences Foundation, St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation and Children's Health Foundation.

With files from CTV London and 610 CKTB