‘All the zeroes’: Sudbury woman stunned by $100K instant lotto win

2 Ontario women each won $100K on OLG tickets. Sudbury's Laura Fong will save and treat herself, while Parry Sound's Crystal Rivers plans a trip to Australia

A northern Ontario woman is celebrating a major lottery win that earned her $100,000 by revealing six words in a single puzzle on an instant game ticket.

Laura Fong of Sudbury struck it rich playing Instant Crossword Trippler (Game #3308), a $5 lottery scratch ticket with odds of winning any prize at 1 in 3.76.

Crossword Trippler is based on the classic word puzzles. Players scratch their 18 letters and reveal each matching letter in the puzzle areas or within the six bonus words for a chance at winning the $100,000 top prize.

More details about the game can be found on the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s website.

Fong, a 33-year-old mother of three, told OLG staff that she’s been playing the lottery with OLG since she was old enough to purchase a ticket and is “delighted” to celebrate her first major win.

“I play Instant Crossword twice a week,” she said, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her winnings.

“I enjoy the thrill of the game and seeing how many words I get.”

Fong said she was at home playing the ticket and “wasn’t expecting much.”

Noticing all the zeroes

“At first, I thought I won $100, and I was happy. Small wins are exciting,” she said.

“As I took a closer look, I noticed all the zeroes and suddenly my face went blank. Then, I screamed at the top of my lungs.”

Fong said that she immediately called her best friend to share the news.

“I didn’t believe it at first, so I grabbed my phone and checked my ticket using the OLG app. The screen lit up and I was still in disbelief, so I took my ticket to the store to double-check,” she said, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her winnings.

“She was overjoyed for me and came over right away,” she said.

“We went to validate the ticket together. I needed her support because my mind was in chaos.”

Dream come true

Fong said she plans to put her winnings toward her children and invest in their futures.

“I’ll also treat myself to a well-deserved spa day,” she added.

The winning ticket was purchased at Donovan Variety on Kathleen Street in Greater Sudbury, OLG confirmed.

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.

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