After 15 years of playing the lottery, an Ontario resident said he accurately predicted his first big win just moments before the top-prize was awarded to him.
Feyazuddin Mohammed, a public sector worker from Whitby, Ont., won $1 million in the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s (OLG) Instant Ultimate draw held on Dec. 31, 2022.
In a release issued by the OLG Friday, Mohammed said he's been playing the lottery for 15 years and this is his first big win.
"I had a feeling I was a winner," he said at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings.
"As I was scratching my ticket, I told my wife, 'This feels like a winner,' and when I checked it using the OLG App after the draw, I froze when I saw $1 million appear on the screen! My wife and I were holding each other and jumping with joy!,” he continued.
Muhammed said he plans to pay some bills, invest, and save for retirement with his winnings.
"I feel honoured to receive such a rare experience. I feel a lot of gratitude," he said.
The winning ticket was purchased at Friendly Variety & Videos on Garrard Road in Whitby, the release said.
The OLG’s Instant Ultimate draw was available for $100 a play in December 2022, with 40 $1-million top prizes drawn on Dec. 23. The odds of winning were 1 in 3.55, according to the corporation.
