A Balmertown resident couldn’t ask for a better New Years gift.
Ronald Brownlee is celebrating after winning an Ontario 49 top prize worth $2 million in the January 1 draw.
For good measure he also pocketed another $10 on another one of his selections.
Brownlee says he’s been a regular lottery player for over 40 years.
He says he won a Lotto 6/49 Free Play, so he used the money he was going to spend on that ticket to purchase the winning ticket.
The avid outdoorsman was checking his ticket at the store when he discovered his big win. “I said, ‘Holy cow!’ and the customer next to me asked if I won. All the customers in the store were so happy for me. We cried tears of joy together. ”
Brownlee says he then drove to his parents to share the good news and they didn’t believe him at first.
Brownlee works in the tourism industry and says it’s been a tough time for his business during the pandemic.
“This win is an unbelievable blessing. I plan to invest most of it. I want to put some into my business to make sure it’s viable for the future. I will also treat myself to a new fishing boat!”, says Brownlee.
If you are wondering where he purchased the $2 million ticket, it wasn’t in the Red Lake area, it was in Wallaceburgh in Southern Ontario.
