A $55M Lotto Max Jackpot Winner In Ontario Joked He Can 'Finally Afford A House In Toronto'

A Lotto Max winner is using part of his massive prize to purchase something that most people his age can only dream about these days—a home in Toronto,

According to OLG, 30-year-old Nishit Parikh from Toronto won a whopping $55 million jackpot in the August 5, 2022, Lotto Max draw, a sum he's still having a hard time believing.

"I'm pretty sure I will be checking my bank account a lot to see that amount of money in there. It's still so unbelievable!" Parikh said.

The project manager opened up about his multi-millionaire moment while picking up his cheque at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto.

"I purchased this ticket about an hour before the draw closed. The next day I heard on the news that someone in Toronto had won and, of course, hoped it was me," he said.

"When I checked my ticket on the OLG App, I saw the Big Winner screen, but didn’t believe it. I was looking at the zeroes, squinting my eyes to do a double take. I think my brain shutdown – I was trying to process what was happening." he added.

The win was so unbelievable that the young man asked his father to make sure it was real.

"When I scanned it in front of him, he was so excited – he believed it right away. I still wasn't convinced, so I had him scan the ticket on his phone in case it was a glitch on my end," Parikh admitted.

It was only then that reality sunk in.

"I was overcome with joy. I thought to myself, now I can finally afford a house in Toronto," he joked. "I told my close family on a video chat, and they guessed what happened. They were ecstatic for me."

Savvy as they come, Parikh immediately sought financial advice on how to handle such an overwhelming amount of money in the aftermath of his win.

"I want to be smart with this money and live a life that's as normal and low-key as possible," he concluded.

If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, refer to these helplines across Canada. Support is available.