Ontario woman wins big lottery prize after getting ticket in 'Secret Santa' work gift exchange
An Ontario woman is $250,000 richer after she won the top prize on a lottery scratch card given to her in a "Secret Santa" gift exchange at work.
Welland, Ont. woman Jennifer Lafleur said she scratched the 'Merry & Bright' lottery ticket when she got home from work on the first night of her Christmas holidays and said her heart starting pounding when she realized she had won.
She told the OLG she texted her husband immediately and told him to come home.
"I passed him the ticket and he asked if it was real, then gave me a big hug," the 41-year-old told the OLG.
The health industry employee said she plans to pay part of her mortgage and also put money aside for her children’s education.
"I'd also like to invest and save some for a family vacation," she said. "I have lots of decisions to make."
The OLG says 'Merry & Bright' scratch cards are available during the holidays and cost $10. The top prize is $250,000.
Last week, the OLG announced two best friends, who used to be married, won the $44-million Lotto Max jackpot.
The OLG said Elizabeth Lumbo and her ex-husband Arlene Lumbo will each take away $22,011,636 after winning the July 20 draw.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.