in OLG-sanctioned lottery

Special to the RTT

An Amherstburg resident has won big, says the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).

Rocco DiPierdomenico of Amherstburg is celebrating after winning a $100,000 top prize with Instant Crossword Tripler, the OLG stated in a media release Monday afternoon. The OLG states the retiree said he’s been playing the lottery for about 20 years.

“I’ve always liked playing Instant tickets as a way to pass the time and socialize with friends,” he shared, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings. One evening, Rocco purchased a ticket at his local coffee shop. When he checked it to see if he was a winner, the machine shut down.

“My body became still with shock,” he recounted to the OLG. “I needed to double check the ticket, then took a couple minutes to process my win outside.”

The 64-year-old called his wife to reveal the news.

“Are you ready to retire?” he asked. “She couldn’t believe it!” Rocco said he was shaking when he returned home. “I told my daughter, and she said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ We celebrated the win together as a family.”

With his windfall, the OLG added DiPierdomenico is hoping to purchase a car and new furniture. He plans to save whatever is left.

“It feels fantastic,” he said. “You always joke about winning, but when it happens, it’s unbelievable.”

Instant Crossword Tripler is available for $5 a play and the top prize is $100,000. Odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.81.

The winning ticket was purchased at Downtown Espresso Café on Dalhousie Street in Amherstburg.

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