Raymond (Ray) Penasse of Garden Village was dealt a winning hand in the November 13, 2024, POKER LOTTO draw. He matched five of five cards to win $100,000.
Ray, who works in the skilled trades, has been a regular lottery player with OLG since he was old enough to play. He typically plays LOTTO MAX, LOTTO 6/49, and LOTTARIO. About two years ago, Ray gave POKER LOTTO a try. Now, he is celebrating his first big win.
“I was at the store when I asked the clerk to validate my POKER LOTTO ticket. I had hoped to win a Free Play. Suddenly, the lottery terminal froze,” Ray recalled while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings. “I was shocked and knew I must have won something big. The clerk said, ‘You won $100,000!’ and my response was, ‘Right on!’ I never expected to win something like this, but I was hoping!"
The winning ticket was purchased at Esso Convenience Store on Second Avenue in Coniston.
“I texted my wife to share the good news. Her response was, ‘No way!’ I sent her a photo of the slip I received at the store, but I still had to show her the ticket when I got home for her to believe me,” Ray grinned.
POKER LOTTO offers both instant in-store wins – of up to $5,000 – and nightly prize draws of up to $100,000 with each $2 play and uses playing card symbols rather than numbers. Visit the POKER LOTTO page on OLG.ca for more information.
“I plan to use this money to build a fully equipped, insulated garage that I can enjoy year-round,” Ray shared. “I’ll also save some for retirement and share with my wife, kids, and grandkids,” he concluded with a smile.
OLG supports safe play and wants to keep the fun in the game. That’s why OLG is proud to be a leader in promoting responsible gambling with our globally recognized PlaySmart program.
