Ontario has a new multimillionaire.
Elizabeth Trafford of Fergus, Ont., a small community north of Guelph, won the big $40 million Lotto Max jackpot in the Dec. 10 draw.
It’s a big time win for the small-town retiree.
“It’s surreal, but deep down inside, I’m actually quivering.”
While picking up her winnings, Trafford said she was following her usual Saturday morning routine when she stopped at her local gas station, Blinkhorn’s Corner Variety, to check her tickets.
“The first one came up, ‘Not a winner,” she said Thursday. “The second one blew the machines in the store – they all went off at the same time. All I saw was, ‘Big winner! Big winner!’”
Nathan Ladd was working the till during Trafford’s life-changing moment.
“I swear she was going to fall down so I propped myself up on her,” he recalled.
Ladd said he helped her into a seat in the store’s back room before she could start making the memorable calls to her family.
Her win was kept under wraps for weeks – until now.
Word has spread fast, and customers were visiting the store hoping lightning – or rather, the lottery – strikes twice.
“You just keep those winners coming,” said customer Robert Booker, speaking with staff as they checked his tickets.
On Thursday, when CTV News stopped by, he took home $59.
“I usually do pretty good up here at Blinkhorn’s,” Booker said.
Other customers, like Dianne, said she would not even know how to react if she won.
“Holy crap,” she said. “Here comes my villa in Antigua.”
Dianne was hoping Ladd’s lucky ‘touch’ would rub off on her tickets.
“I’m going to cash in my $40 ticket, not $40 million though. Dang.”
Ladd, meantime, said store owner Rob Blinkhorn certainly doesn’t benefit from any supposed luck.
“I don’t know what it’s about,” he told CTV News. “Apparently, I have luck for other people, but not me. Every time I get a scratch ticket, it has never won.”
Blinkhorn said the biggest winning ticket sold at the store before this was $100,000. When he learned Trafford hit the jackpot, he was elated.
“She’s been a client for quite a few years,” he explained. “I can’t think of a better person to win.”
Those words of encouragement brought Trafford to tears.
“The people that I have told, and it has been an incredibly moving thing for me, is that they have said, ‘If anyone deserves this it’s you,’” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.
While some of the money will be used for travelling, which Trafford has always wanted to do, a good chunk of the winnings will be inherited by her son.
Once the reality began to set in, Trafford put together a team to make sure her Quick Pick ticket was safe and that her winnings could be used in the best way possible.
As for that new figure in her bank account – she’s still getting used to it.
“$40,000,107.93,” Trafford said, chuckling. “So, it’s gone up a bit.”
