'I've never won big like this': Group of 12 warehouse workers from GTA win lottery together

Group of 12 warehouse workers from the Greater Toronto Area win Lotto Max. (OLG)

A dozen warehouse workers from the GTA fist-bumped each other all day after recently scoring a Lotto Max prize together.

It started in 2020 when five warehouse workers began playing the lottery together. Seven more eventually joined in the weekly pool.

On Jan. 12, they got lucky and won the second prize draw of $247,558.90.

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

The group’s members include Arnel Dizon, Arnel Victor Dizon, Darwin Fernandez, and Tanaka Liwan of Toronto; Amiel Ocampo, Arcielito Pilac, Roberto Meniano, Ronnie Victoriano and Ryan Galceran of Scarborough; and Erick Anthony Bacani, James Karl Nadela and Joel Tupaz of North York. They’ll each receive roughly $20,630.

Galceran was the one to learn of the team’s win when he checked the ticket through the OLG app.

“I was shocked,” he said.

“I had a big smile on my face and started sharing the news with my teammates.”

Nadela said the group went quiet when they heard the news, but smiles quickly started to spread.

“Once the win settled in, we all started cheering and chanting together in celebration,” Dizon said.

“It was like walking [on] a cloud. We kept fist bumping all day!”

Liwan said she’d never won a prize like this – “I feel happy in my heart.”

• IN PICTURES: Here are the 10 biggest jackpots in the GTA in 2023

As for what they will do with their share of the win, everyone has different plans, either for bills, retirement, family education, or travel.

They also all plan to celebrate together as a group by having dinner with their families.

“I’ve always dreamt of winning and it’s better than expected,” Fernandez said.

The winning ticket was purchased at Pioneer Gas Station on McNicoll Avenue in Scarborough.