$100K won by a northern Ont. man from a $1 bet

Larry Hubley turned $1 into $100,000 by matching 6 of 7 Encore numbers in a May Lotto Max draw while Barry & Dorothee Burtnyk won $50,000 on an instant ticket.

Larry Hubley of Powassan, Ont., is $100,000 richer after a lucky $1 Encore bet paid off in a major way. The longtime lottery player matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in exact order in the May 30 Lotto Max draw, turning a small wager into a six-figure windfall.

Hubley has played lottery games “since the days of Wintario,” the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) said in a news release Monday.

“He enjoys a variety of games, including Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49 and Daily Grand,” said the provincial lottery retailer. “He typically plays twice a week, using OLG’s Quick Pick feature to make his selections and adding Encore to all his tickets.”

‘I was shocked’

“I bought this ticket as part of my regular weekly routine,” Hubley said during his visit to the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to collect his winnings. “A couple of days after the draw, I went to the store and scanned my ticket using the ticket checker. Suddenly, I saw a prize of $100,000 on the screen. I scanned my ticket again, just to be sure it was real. In that moment, I was shocked and very happy.”

This is Hubley’s first major lottery win and he immediately headed home to share the news with his wife.

“I showed her the validation slip, and her jaw dropped in disbelief,” he said. “She was just as surprised and excited as I was.”

Investing in the future

Hubley told OLG he plans to save for the future, invest and share with family.

Encore, which offers 22 ways to win, can be added to most lottery games for a dollar, with draws held twice daily.

More details on the game can be found on OLG’s official website.

The winning ticket was purchased at MacEwen on Seymour Street in North Bay.

This follows the announcement of a $34 million Lotto Max winner in the region last week.

Play responsibly

“OLG supports safe play and wants to keep the fun in the game,” said OLG on its website.

“That’s why OLG is proud to be a leader in promoting responsible gambling with our globally recognized Playsmart program.”

Playsmart offers information on gambling games.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a problem, help is available.