Deanna Bergeron told OLG officials she'd eaten her fiancés' last ice cream bar and promised him she'd replace it.
Before the 30-year-old personal trainer left the house to make good on her promise her fiancé Jeff Bourret, 32, reminded her there was a big Lotto Max jackpot up for grabs and suggested she buy a ticket.
"I usually buy lottery tickets when I know the jackpot is large and for some reason I bought two," Deanna said.
When Deanna's mother called her the day after the draw, and said someone in Orillia had won the Lotto Max jackpot, Deanna went online immediately and checked her two Quick Pick tickets. She knew one of them was a winner, but wasn't sure how much she'd won; so she snapped a picture of the ticket using her phone and sent it Jeff by text message.
Jeff, who is a government employee, was at work at the time, so he finished up early and took Deanna to lottery retailer so she could validate the ticket.
Once they were sure of their prize, Deanna and Jeff, needed a little time to let it all sink in, so didn’t claim it straight away.
Jeff said: "It's been an emotional rollercoaster. We got some great advice from our family and now we are turning to a team of financial advisors who will help guide us through this incredible good fortune, so that we can enjoy it for years and decades to come."
