Young lottery player becomes instant millionaire just 3 months into buying tickets

Matin Kelidisian, 19, of Aurora, Ont., won $1,430,311 in the Dec. 21, 2024, Lottario draw. (OLG)

A 19-year-old man from Aurora who started playing the lottery just three months ago hit it big, becoming an instant millionaire with a Lottario ticket he purchased at a local convenience store.

Matin Kelidisian won $1,430,311 in the Dec. 21, 2024, draw. He said he found out he had won when he took his ticket to the store to be validated.

"When I saw the prize amount, I immediately started running around the store. With pure joy, I screamed, ‘I won! I won!’ The other customers in the store were looking at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t care," he recalled.

The young man called the moment the happiest of his life. "My face was red and I was shaking. It was electrifying–like a thousand shocks coursing through my body. The clerk offered me water and suggested I take a seat to catch my breath."

He immediately called his parents to share the news.

"They dropped everything and got to me within 10 minutes," he said. "When my mom saw me, her reaction was priceless. She was crying tears of joy and telling everyone in the store how deserving I was of this prize. Hearing my mom speak those kind words was such a beautiful feeling."

Kelidisian, who has never left Canada, said he hopes to travel to the Dominican Republic with his winnings, but he also plans to help his family.

"I’m so thankful for this win. I feel blessed to have won this jackpot at my age," he added. "I can help my parents, especially after everything they’ve done for me. I want to help them with bills and their mortgage, easing a bit of stress. I want to pay off my sister’s student loans and invest for the long term."

Lottario tickets cost $1 with draws every Saturday.