28-year-old mother wins 'the big one' with instant lottery ticket jackpot
Athelma O’Brien-Needham, 28, of Aurora, Ont., won big with the Poker Lotto All In jackpot on March 27, 2023. (OLG)
A 28-year-old mother was shocked to learn she won nearly $65,000 with an instant lottery ticket she bought while picking up a few things at the Circle K on Wellington Street in Aurora.
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Athelma O'Brien-Needham of Aurora decided to try her luck with Poker Lotto All In and won $59,904.60, plus another $5,000 on the instant portion, bringing her total winnings to $64,904.60.
While watching the screen, she was shocked to see a royal flush, and though she expected to win big, she didn't imagine she would win the entire jackpot.
"I was in shock. I just wanted to run home with my golden ticket," she said while picking up her winnings at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto.
"I feel very fortunate," she said.
She said that when her fiancé arrived home, she showed him the ticket, which "turned his bad day around completely."
O'Brien-Needham plans to invest her winnings, possibly take a vacation, purchase a hot tub, and "take time to think it over before making any big decisions."
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