Woodstock woman wins $1M in Encore draw

Woodstock resident, Nora O’Bright, wins $1 million in Encore draw. (OLG)

Saying “yes” to ENCORE has turned into a $1 million windfall for Nora O’Bright of Woodstock.

O’Bright matched all seven ENCORE numbers in exact order in the March 19, 2025 LOTTO 6/49 draw, securing the top prize.

The mother of one has been playing the lottery with OLG since she became eligible. She has a fondness for LOTTO 6/49 and LOTTO MAX. She always adds ENCORE to her tickets and uses her own numbers — a routine that finally paid off.

“I was at home when I discovered I’d won,” said O’Bright, while collecting her prize at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto. “I reviewed my ticket a whole bunch of times. I couldn’t even tell you how many times I checked it.”

“I immediately started shaking and my heart was racing. I screamed, ‘This is crazy!’ It was one heck of a feeling,” she laughed. “I told my family about my win, and they were just as shocked as I was. I had my brother pick me up to take my ticket to be validated because I couldn’t drive—my thoughts were all over the place!”

When asked how it felt to win the lottery, O’Bright said she was still in disbelief.

“Sometimes it feels real, and other times I still think I’m dreaming.”

She plans to use her winnings to cover bills, pay off her mortgage, and upgrade her camping gear.

The winning ticket was purchased at Southside Mini Mart on Henry Street in Woodstock.