This Lotto Max winner in Ontario scored a $20 million jackpot!
She didn't even choose the numbers for the winning ticket, they were randomly selected by a lottery machine!
It was just revealed that Anna Pelka of Stoney Creek — a community in Hamilton — won a $20 million jackpot from the Lotto Max draw on December 20, 2024.
Pelka works in the healthcare industry and has been playing the lottery for the last seven years without winning big.
She bought a Lotto Max Quick Pick ticket for the December 20 draw at the Petro-Canada on Mud Street West in Stoney Creek.
With a Quick Pick, Pelka didn't select the numbers for her ticket. The numbers were randomly generated by the lottery machine.
The Lotto Max winning numbers for the December 20 draw that scored Pelka the jackpot were 5, 6, 7, 24, 27, 29 and 32.
"I was on my way home from work when I stopped to get gas. Before heading to the cash register to pay, I decided to check my Lotto Max ticket on the ticket checker," Pelka said.
Then, a message on the screen told her to see the retailer.
"I brought my ticket to the store clerk. From that moment on, everything became a bit of a blur," Pelka said. "It was a surreal and crazy moment."
Anna Pelka with a Lotto Max cheque.Courtesy of OLG
Pelka went straight home after finding out about her $20 million Lotto Max win and waited for her husband.
"When he got home, I told him what had happened and how much I'd won but he didn't believe me," she revealed.
Her husband wanted to check each number on her ticket to the winning numbers to be sure of the win.
Once every number matched, they hugged and cried.
"I've always hoped for a win like this and somehow, it happened. It's so unreal and absolutely life-changing," Pelka said.
Pelka plans to use the $20 million jackpot to ensure that her children are taken care of and set up for life.
"As a parent, it brings me peace of mind," she said. "It's amazing to be able to provide this for them."