Engaged Orillia Couple Wins $50 Million LOTTO MAX JACKPOT

TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2014 /CNW/ - A promise to replace an ice-cream treat for her fiancé led Deanna Bergeron of Orillia to a local store where she also bought, what turned out to be the winning $50 million LOTTO MAX ticket for the September 5, 2014 draw. Now she and her fiancé, Jeff Bourret are Ontario's newest multi-millionaires.

"This is so overwhelming, we are still in a daze," said Deanna and Jeff as they collected their $50 Million cheque at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto.

"It is always great when OLG gets to celebrate with our lottery players and give away millions of dollars!" said Wendy Montgomery, OLG's Vice President of Lottery Marketing and Sales, as she presented the happy couple with their winnings.  

Deanna, a 30 year old personal trainer, went to the store to buy an ice cream treat for Jeff because she had eaten his last ice cream bar and promised to replace it. Jeff had reminded her to also buy a LOTTO MAX ticket because of the $50 million jackpot. Deanna decided to purchase two Quick Pick LOTTO MAX tickets.

"I usually buy lottery tickets when I know the jackpot is large and for some reason I bought two," said Deanna. "And I am so glad she did!" added Jeff.

On the Sunday after the draw, Deanna got a call from her mother telling her she heard someone in Orillia had purchased the winning ticket and urged her to check hers. She went online and saw the matching numbers on her ticket but was still unsure what prize she had won. She then took a picture of the ticket and texted it to Jeff who was at work.

Jeff, a 32 year old government employee, quickly realized the seven numbers drawn matched the numbers on one of their tickets. That's when he quickly left work, went home to pick up Deanna and headed to the store to have the tickets validated. When the bells and whistles went off at the lottery terminal, they knew they had the $50 million winning ticket.

After plenty of happy tears, telling immediate family about their good fortune, they took some time for this life changing news to sink in.

"It's been an emotional rollercoaster," said Jeff. "We got some great advice from our family and now we are turning to a team of financial advisors who will help guide us through this incredible good fortune, so that we can enjoy it for years and decades to come."

The happy couple, who plan to get married in about two years, would like to take a trip to Hawaii and purchase a couple of new vehicles.

The winning ticket was purchased at Mac's at 8023 Highway 12 in Orillia.

Since its launch in September 2009, Ontario LOTTO MAX players have won over $2 billion in prizes, including 38 jackpot wins and 210 winning MAXMILLIONS tickets from all across the province.

OLG is a provincial agency responsible for province-wide lottery games and gaming facilities. Since 1975, OLG has provided nearly $38 billion to the Province and the people of Ontario. OLG's annual payments to the Province have helped support health care; education, research, prevention and treatment of problem gambling; amateur sport through the Quest for Gold program; and local and provincial charities.

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Image with caption: "Caption: Orillia residents Deanna Bergeron (R) and Jeff Bourret (M) are presented a cheque for $50,000,000 by OLG's Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Wendy Montgomery at the OLG Prize Centre on Monday, September 15, 2014. Deanna and Jeff won the September 5, 2014 LOTTO MAX jackpot. (Photo Credit: Shan Qiao) (CNW Group/OLG Winners)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140915_C3522_PHOTO_EN_5614.jpg

SOURCE: OLG Winners

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