This $20 Million Ontario Lottery Winner Played The Same Numbers For Almost Four Decades

An Ontario lottery winner is ringing in his golden years as a multi-millionaire following a big win that was in the making for almost four decades.

Scarborough resident Stephen Dixon won a stunning $20 million as the top prize in the Lotto 6/49 draw on July 9, according to a recent OLG press release.

Dixon, now retired, is definitely a champion of consistency, having played the same numbers for 36 years.

"I started playing these numbers with Wintario and migrated them over to LOTTO 6/49. The numbers I play are significant family dates," he gushed while collecting his cheque at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto.

The 70-year-old revealed that he was dumbfounded by the announcement, which seemed too good to be true at first.

"When I saw the big winner screen, I assumed the $20 million that appeared was an advertisement for the next draw," Dixon said and added, "The store clerk checked the ticket for me and said, 'Oh my God, you've won the big one!' and she started dancing and cheering!"

“Everyone in the store came to congratulate me. It was nerve-wracking – I was in a daze. I got into my car and realized how shocked I was. Too shocked to celebrate like they do in commercials,” he said.

Dixon also recalled how his wife initially thought they'd won only $20,000. "She was convinced I was playing a prank on her," he recounted.

As for what he plans to do with the winnings, the family man wants to seek joy through sharing it with his loved ones.

"This win will take us all over the world, creating stories that will last a few lifetimes. I am so excited to make memories with my family."

If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, there are resources available across Canada. Help is available.