Barrie resident claims $36M Lotto 6/49 ticket
A Barrie resident is $36 million richer after purchasing a Lotto 6/49 ticket in January.
Yvonne Sauve won the top prize of $36,449,852.60 in the Jan. 12 draw through a Free Play.
Sauve was at work in her retail job when a co-worker asked if she had bought a ticket for that draw because someone in Barrie had won.
"I was at the store a few days later, and while I was fiddling around with my phone, the clerk was checking my ticket. I heard her say, 'Oh my God!'" Yvonne said
"I looked up and saw the Big Winner screen, and thought, 'Oh, this can't be right.'"
Sauve shared the news with her boyfriend and then called her sister.
"When she asked me how much I won, I couldn't get a grip on the full amount, so I read the numbers off one by one – she was more excited than I was!" Sauve said.
"I was completely shocked, but calm. I've felt calm and confident up until now. It feels amazing – I can't imagine this shift in my life. I'm so accustomed to pinching pennies – it's going to take some time to settle in."
Sauve now looks forward to retirement and spending this summer travelling.
"I want to plan a trip to Nashville with my friends when it's safe to travel, but the first thing I will do is make sure the special people in my life are taken care of," Sauve said.
"They've been loving and loyal to me for so long. I can't wait to share this win with them. When I've dreamt of winning the lottery, it was about taking care of my family and friends. I'm going to be changing many lives with this money."
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) said the Barrie, Ont. woman had to undergo "enhanced scrutiny of the prize claim" because her sister is an employee at an authorized OLG retailer, making this an 'insider win.'
Sauve purchased the winning ticket at Shoppers Drug Mart on Wellington Street in Barrie.
-with files from Kim Phillips
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