$100,000 Lotto MAX win for Oshawa programmer, mom of four

An Oshawa program designer and administer and mother of four can now design a new future after winning $100,000 in the September 24 LOTTO MAX draw.

Gaetana Vella matched the last six of seven ENCORE numbers to score her first big win. Vella, who downloaded the OLG app and created an OLG.ca account last year, had enjoyed a few small wins though the year but was not prepared for the big win.

“I received an email from OLG, but initially ignored it thinking it was notifying me of a Free Play win,” Vella remembered  while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her winnings. “When I went on the app and saw that I had won $100,000, my first thought was, ‘Is this real?’ I showed my son, and he had the same reaction. Once we knew it was true, my kids and I were so happy! It was an emotional moment.”

“As a single mom of four, it’s not always easy. This win has been a true blessing,” Vella said. “I say, ‘Pick up a ticket and take that leap of faith!’”

Vella, who turns 50 in January, plans on taking a family vacation to mark the occasion.

The winning ticket was purchased on OLG.ca.