A Toronto retiree says he was at the grocery store when he checked his lottery ticket and realized he'd won something big.
“I walked in with the intention of buying some bananas and walked out $100,000 richer!” Fernando Carvalho told lottery officials as he picked up his winnings.
Carvalho said he plays a mix of quick picks and numbers based on family birthdays.
That strategy proved lucky as he matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in exact order in the Oct. 29 Lotto Max draw.
“I was at the store when I found out I had won," Carvalho said. "I used the ticket checker to scan my ticket, and then scanned it again to be sure.”
The father and grandfather said he has been playing the lottery weekly for more than 30 years.
He plans to pay some bills and share his winnings with his daughters.
“My first instinct was to call my daughter," he said. "She’s the only one I’ve told, and she’s thrilled for me."
The winning ticket was purchased at C-Mart on Eglinton Avenue West.
