Tecumseh resident Thomas Hughes and his family are enjoying quite a Christmas gift: The $433,000 prize he won from playing Lotto Max last month.
A 66-year-old tool and die worker, Hughes told staff of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation that it’s the first time he has won big from his regular buying of Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49 and Daily Grand tickets.
“Winning the lottery is something everyone dreams about,” Hughes said as he picked up his prize cheque at the OLG prize centre last week.
The amount won by Hughes — $433,189.40, to be exact — is his share of the second prize of the Lotto MAX draw of Nov. 16.
Three ticket holders had the conditions to win the second prize of that draw: Matching six out of the seven winning numbers, plus the bonus number.
The odds of having a ticket with those numbers were one in 4,090,504.
Hughes bought his lucky ticket at the Zehrs store at 400 Manning Rd. in Tecumseh.
The other two second-prize winners bought their tickets in Mississauga and Pickering.
Hughes said he realized he had won something when he checked his ticket while eating breakfast.
A married father of two, he said he plans on investing the money to prepare for his retirement.