News release - from OLG
Yvonne Sauve of Barrie has that “6/49 feeling” after winning a Lotto 6/49 top prize worth $36,449,852.60 in the Jan. 12, 2022 draw.
Yvonne, who works in retail, said one of her colleagues asked her if she had a ticket for the Lotto 6/49 draw because the winning ticket was sold in Barrie.
“I was at the store a few days later and while I was fiddling around with my phone, the clerk was checking my ticket. I heard her say, ‘Oh, my God!’” Yvonne shared while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her big cheque. “I looked up and saw the Big Winner screen, and thought, "Oh, this can’t be right."
Yvonne’s big win came from a free play.
After sharing the news with her boyfriend, she called her sister.
“When she asked me how much I won, I couldn’t get a grip on the full amount, so I read the numbers off one by one – she was more excited than I was. I was completely shocked, but calm. I’ve felt calm and confident up until now,” she said. “It feels amazing – I can’t imagine this shift in my life. I’m so accustomed to pinching pennies. It’s going to take some time to settle in.”
Yvonne’s plans for her windfall include retirement and spending the summer travelling.
“I want to plan a trip to Nashville with my friends when it’s safe to travel, but the first thing I will do is make sure the special people in my life are taken care of. They’ve been loving and loyal to me for so long. I can’t wait to share this win with them,” she said. “When I’ve dreamt of winning the lottery, it was about taking care of my family and friends. I’m going to be changing a lot of lives with this money.”
See Yvonne’s winning celebration here.
The prize claim was subject to OLG's Insider Win process as Yvonne’s sister is an employee at an authorized OLG retailer. Insider Wins are publicized and held for 30 days to allow any potential additional claimants to come forward before the prize is awarded.
The winning ticket was purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart on Wellington Street in Barrie.
