A northern Ontario man has become a multi-millionaire after winning the May grand prize in the Thunder Bay hospital’s 50/50 draw. Kevin Mongeau of the Greater Sudbury community of Val Caron won $2,454,522 in the draw with ticket number Q-850476582. Mongeau was at work and up a ladder when he received the call from Glenn Craig, CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, which operates the lottery. Safety first Craig, aware of the setting, asked Mongeau to climb down before sharing the news. “I don’t want any accidents to be responsible for any accidents because, you know, we’re here to help healthcare, not drive healthcare business,” Craig said to Mongeau during the call. After Mongeau confirmed he was safely on the ground, Craig revealed the win. “You have won the May draw,” Craig said. When asked how the sum of $2,454,522 sounded, Mongeau said, “That sounds really good.” Plans for the prize Mongeau said he intends to use the money to build a home for his young family. “Probably build a house,” he said. “I got a two-year-old daughter and we’re just renting right now, so I think I want to build a house with it.” Mongeau added that he does not plan to spend the entire amount on construction. “Maybe not a two-million-dollar house, but definitely a nice house and then the rest, you know,” he said. During the call, Craig also commented on the impact such a win can have on a young family just starting out. “I love it when I hear young people who are just starting out winning this kind of money and just thinking of building your first home, just what this is going to mean to you and the rest of your life and your rest of your family’s life,” Craig said. Mongeau agreed, calling the prize “a big head start in life.” Who to tell first? When asked who he would tell first about the win, Mongeau said he would call his partner. However, when Craig asked whether she would believe him, Mongeau said he didn’t know. You can watch the call with the winner above. Milestone for lottery The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation said the 50/50 draw has now awarded more than $100 million in total prizes since its inception. That total includes 826 early bird prizes, 64 grand prize draws, and $67,000 awarded through the Rewards+ Benefit program. The average monthly grand prize payout for the draw over the past 24 months has been $2,351,681. Winners have come from across Ontario, including Thunder Bay, Kakabeka Falls, Neebing, Nolalu, Ignace, Marathon, Red Lake, Dryden, Geraldton, Timmins, Sudbury, Pembroke, Kitchener, London, Etobicoke and Leamington. Next month’s draw “June 2026 will go down as a very special month in Thunder Bay 50/50 history. We have officially crossed $100,000,000 in total prizes awarded,” the foundation said in a social media post. “Nobody thought, at the time of launching this program, that one day we’d be able to make a statement like that.” The June draw is now underway at ThunderBay5050.ca, with the jackpot already more than $1 million. Click here for more information. In addition to the jackpot, the hospital foundation is also handing out $125,000 in early bird cash prizes in June. Tickets for the June draw are available to purchase right now, with sales ending at 11:59 p.m. on June 25. The jackpot-winning ticket will be drawn on June 26 at 11 a.m. Tickets are available online and in-store at the foundation’s Intercity Shopping Centre storefront. Proceeds from every ticket sold support essential equipment at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. The foundation said it has granted more than $67 million to the hospital over the past five years. For more information on the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation’s 50/50 draws and the work they do, visit their social media page. Enjoy Responsibly Playsmart offers information on gambling games. If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, help is available. RELATED STORIES:
