An 18-year-old has scooped a $48 million lotto jackpot on her first try and becomes the youngest Canadian in history to win the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation lottery jackpot.
Juliette Lamour from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, bought the ticket after celebrating her 18th birthday but she had already forgotten about it until it was reported that someone from her town had won the jackpot.
In an interview with Global News, the lucky winner said: “I just turned 18 and my grandfather suggested I buy a lottery ticket for fun.”
She went on: “When I went to the store, I wasn’t sure what to ask for because I had never bought a ticket before, so I called my dad who told me to buy a Lotto 6-49 quick pick.
“I still can’t believe I hit the gold ball jackpot on my very first lottery ticket.”
The OLGC said that while there have been other teens who scooped the jackpot in recent years, no one has won as much as the January 7 winner.
When Lamour checked her ticket through a mobile app, a jingle played and ‘Big Winner’ flashed on her screen.
“My colleague fell to his knees in disbelief,” she said. “He was yelling. In fact, everyone was yelling that I won $48 million.”
The teen said her boss told her she could go home early but her mother told her to stay and finish her shift.
Lamour has revealed that her financial advisor dad is now helping her invest her money wisely.
“Once school is done, my family and I will pick a continent and start exploring. I want to experience different countries, study their history and culture, try their food, and listen to their language. Money doesn’t define you. It’s the work you do that will define you,” she said, according to The Guardian.
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