Northern Ont. mother, daughter duo celebrate $1M Encore win

Northern Ont. mother & daughter win $1M Saying yes to to Encore has paid off for a mother and daughter duo from Sturgeon Falls after a $1 million win.

The mother and daughter duo, Helen Ackerland and Mary Hayward of Sturgeon Falls, Ont., matched all seven Encore numbers in the exact order in the Feb. 19 Lotto Max draw to win $1 million, Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) said in a news release.

The duo said they have been playing both Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 together for about 15 years and play their own numbers that are significant to them.

Hayward told OLG that she discovered their win while checking their ticket on OLG.ca.

"I thought something was wrong,” she told OLG in Toronto when picking up their winnings.

“I even pulled out a magnifying glass to see the numbers on the ticket."

Ackerland said she was still in her pajamas when her mother called her about the ticket.

"She said I had to go to the store to get a printout of the winning numbers because we may have won big,” Ackerland said in the news release.

“I asked her how big, and she said, '$1 million!'”

Hayward said her heart was pounding.

The pair said they plan to put the winnings towards a house and a vehicle.

"This win will be enjoyed by many in our family between the kids, foster kids and grandchildren,” they said.

“We are so grateful for this prize. We feel so blessed."

Encore offers 22 ways to win and can be played in conjunction with most lottery games.

The winning ticket was purchased at Mac's on Front Street in Sturgeon Falls, Ont.

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