A couple from Schumacher has won a top prize of $225,000 in the Big Spin Lottery. Dustin Gerner and his partner of seven years, Victoria Vigneux, bought their ticket while on a road trip. “We were on a road trip to visit friends and along the way we decided to buy a couple INSTANT tickets to play in the car to pass the time. We picked Big Spin because it was a relatively new game,” said Gerner, a 26-year-old recent college graduate in mining. “A couple hours later, we stopped at another retailer to validate our Big Spin ticket and claim $5 that we won on an Instant Crossword ticket. And it was in that store that the lottery terminal shut down. The clerk started crying telling us that we won big. I couldn’t believe it!” said Vigneux, a 24-year-old, currently studying accounting. They managed to keep the win a secret from friends and family until they travelled down to the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to spin for their big prize Monday. “Surprise everyone! Our good fortune really didn’t sink in until a couple hours ago when I spun the wheel and we found out our prize amount.” said Gerner. The couple, parents of two, plans to pay off student loan debts, put money towards a new house, and save for their kids’ education. “And Dustin hasn’t agreed yet, but we are definitely taking a family trip down south this winter! We’re a young couple, just starting our lives. It feels great to be starting off with a $225,000 lottery win!” said Vigneux. The winning ticket was purchased at Petro Canada on Highway 11 in Temagami.
