A northern Ontario man is celebrating a ‘big’ lottery win after scoring a $350,000 prize with an instant game ticket. Kerri G. of Hornepayne, Ont., struck it rich playing The Big Spin (Game #3115), a $5 lottery scratch ticket with odds of winning any prize at 1 in 3.73. The Big Spin game combines popular scratch play with prizes revealed in-store by an animated spinning wheel on the lottery terminal screen and, potentially, a chance at an in-person spin on The Big Spin Wheel at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto, Ont., for up to $500,000 More details about the game can be found on the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s website. ‘Is this really happening?’ A Mother’s Day gift from her son turned into a life-changing windfall for a northern Ontario woman. Kerri’s son purchased the ticket for her as a Mother’s Day present. When she scratched it at home, she discovered she had won a spin at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto. “We went to the store to validate the ticket, but I didn’t feel like getting out of the truck, so I got my husband to go inside and check it for me,” she said in a news release. “As soon as he did, the screen froze and he called me to come inside right away.” Son receives first phone call Upon learning she had a chance to win at least $100,000, Kerri told OLG she immediately phoned her son. “I called my son from the store and jokingly said, ‘I bet you wish you’d kept the ticket for yourself instead of giving it to me,’” she said. “He told me he wouldn’t have bought me the ticket if he didn’t want me to win, and he was so happy for me. He also told his sister he had one-upped her on Mother’s Day gifts with this one.” Nerves and celebration at the Prize Centre Ahead of the wheel spin, Kerri admitted to feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. “I definitely couldn’t sleep last night,” she said. The room cheered loudly as the wheel spun, finally landing on the $175,000 prize. “I was so happy to see the prize amount,” she said. In a video provided by OLG, Kerri was captured telling her son over the phone that she had won. She told him he was again the first person she called. Plans for the winnings Kerri said she plans to share her winnings with her children, go on a shopping spree and take a trip to Italy. “We’ve talked about going on a trip to Italy and spend a little bit and just enjoy Toronto … while we’re here and all the sites and it’s going to be awesome,” she said. Reflecting on the experience, she called the win an unforgettable Mother’s Day gift. The winning ticket was purchased at Hornepayne Service Centre on Highway 631 North in Hornepayne, 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.
