2024-06-17

ST. JOHN’S (N.L.) – Lori Payne of Parson’s Pond, N.L. has been playing the lottery for more than 30 years. While she always dreamed of winning big, Payne couldn’t believe it was real when she learned that she was Newfoundland and Labrador’s newest millionaire, thanks to the Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball draw held on April 24, 2024.

“I was driving home and my daughter checked my ticket for me and she said, ‘Pull over, I think you won,’” Payne said. “She read out the numbers, they matched and she started to cry.”

Payne and her daughter immediately drove to the nearest convenience store to have the ticket validated, where they learned from the cashier that someone in the area had won the Gold Ball guaranteed prize. When they scanned Payne’s ticket, they counted the zeros together and let the reality of the $1-million win start to sink in.

Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday with two multi-million jackpots available to be won. The classic jackpot is always set at $5 million and the Gold Ball jackpot starts at $10 million and can grow past $60 million. The Gold Ball draw guarantees a winning ticket on every draw, with the winner taking home $1 million if a white ball is drawn or the growing Gold Ball jackpot when a gold ball is drawn. A white ball was drawn on April 24, 2024 leading to Payne’s $1-million win.

“I always dreamed of winning the lottery, who doesn’t dream of that?” Payne said. “I’m still in shock, it’s something that really takes time to sink in.”

Plans for her winnings include helping her two daughters, paying off all her bills and vehicle, and purchasing a new home with her partner closer to where she works.

“I’m still going to work, I’m not giving up my job,” Payne said. “I’m a seasonal worker, I only work from May to October, so I have all the falls and winters I can do whatever I want with.”

While Payne said this win won’t change her or her lifestyle, she does plan to fulfill a life-long dream of taking an Alaskan cruise.

Payne purchased her winning Lotto 6/49 ticket at Sunrise Bakery Café & Cottages in Parson’s Pond, N.L.

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Media contact:
Lindsay Meekins
Atlantic Lottery Public Relations Strategist
506-431-6466
lindsay.meekins@alc.ca

Backgrounder: About Lotto 6/49

• Lotto 6/49 holds draws every Wednesday and Saturday with two multi-million jackpots available to be won.
  
  
• Each $3 ticket includes one Classic Draw selection of six numbers players can choose or use Insta Pik to have the numbers selected for them, and a 10-digit computer generated Gold Ball Draw number.
  
  
• The Classic Jackpot is always set at $5 million.
  
  
• The Gold Ball Jackpot starts at $10 million and can grow past $60 million.
  
  
• The Gold Ball draw guarantees a winning ticket on every draw. The winner of the Gold Ball draw will take home either $1 million, or the growing Gold Ball jackpot.
  
  
• For $1 each, players can add TAG and Atlantic 49. These add-on games give you additional chances to win and are only available in Atlantic Canada.