Confusion about a nickname almost cost a Toronto man a $30-million lotto jackpot but his identity was confirmed just in time for the holidays.
“It was a long process,” Vincent (Tony) Charlemagne said in a news release issued by the OLG Friday. “However, all along I knew that I held the winning ticket so I wasn’t worried. The wait has made getting my cheque today that much sweeter.”
Charlemagne, a self-employed contractor, won the $30-million LOTTO MAX jackpot from August 2.
He discovered the win after checking his ticket the following Friday.
“I scanned my ticket on the self-checker. When I saw all the numbers, I didn’t think it was real. I thought I won just a couple bucks,” Charlemagne said.
After the clerk verified the win, a shocked Charlemagne skipped work and went home to take a shower to clear his head before sharing the news with his family.
However he ran into trouble when he went to collect his prize and officials saw that he originally signed the ticket with his commonly used first name, Tony, instead of the name that appears on all his legal documents, Vincent.
Lottery officials launched a prize claim review. But that process recently confirmed Charlemagne as the winner.
The Toronto man, originally from St. Lucia, said he plans on buying a home and car with his wife and taking a trip to visit relatives.
“What I’m really looking forward to is visiting my family and friends in St. Lucia,” Charlemagne said.
He said he has no other definite plans just yet.
The winning ticket was purchased at M&D Variety on Main Street in Toronto.
