From Purse to Prize: $1M Win in Scarborough

Laurie M. of Scarborough, Ontario, never expected a forgotten lottery ticket to change her life. She’d been buying Lotto 6/49 tickets twice a week for about 25 years with no big wins — just the kind of steady, hopeful habit a lot of people have. This time, though, persistence finally paid off.

She bought the ticket at the Shoppers Drug Mart on Eglinton Avenue East and then tucked it into her purse. A few days later she walked past the store, saw an ad, and remembered she hadn’t checked the ticket yet. When the clerk scanned it, Laurie thought she’d won three Free Plays. Instead, the clerk surprised her: she’d actually won $1 million.

• Big moment: the clerk told her, “Ma’am, you won more than just three Free Plays!”

• Immediate reaction: Laurie started shaking and says her heart nearly stopped.

Laurie learned her prize was the $1-million Gold Ball from the Lotto 6/49 draw on May 6. She remembers crying tears of pure happiness and still gets goosebumps thinking about that moment, even on the ride home when it hadn’t quite sunk in.

Now Laurie says the win lets her retire early and enjoy life’s little pleasures. She plans to travel — London is first on the list, then Scotland, and more of Europe after that — and finally take her time soaking up different cultures.

She also wants to try painting classes, something she couldn’t do before because they happened during work hours. Laurie calls herself “incredibly fortunate, grateful, and excited” about what’s ahead.