Ontario man yells 'I'm a friggin' millionaire' after $25M lottery jackpot win

An Ontario man reacted in a surprisingly relatable way after learning of his $25-million lottery win.

Innisfil resident Stanley J. got the surprise of a lifetime when he checked his ticket on the OLG app, learning that he had won the jackpot in the Friday, July 24 LOTTO MAX draw.

Stanley, who worked as a plumber for four decades, has used the same lottery numbers for years, telling OLG, "A few years ago, I purchased a LOTTO MAX ticket with Quick Pick numbers, and I've stuck with those numbers ever since."

"I guess that was a good decision," he said, in a pretty massive understatement.

He used those numbers again when he purchased a ticket while on a trip to visit his girlfriend in Woodstock, Ont., in what proved to be a fateful stop at a Food Basics location on Dundas Street.

When he checked his OLG app, Stanley first thought he had won just $25,000; "I soon realized I won much more," he says.

Stanley says he "was in shock" at first, and immediately asked his girlfriend to check the ticket again for him. "She thought I was joking until she saw the prize amount of $25 million. We were both shocked," he told OLG.

News of Stanley's big win spread quickly. "I wanted to quietly tell a few family members and friends, but to my surprise, word spread fast. Everyone was happy for me and said it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," he explained.

"I'm still in shock. It won't feel real until I see the balance in my bank account, and it'll take some time to sink in," he said. When he finally did see that bank balance, Stanley couldn't contain himself, yelling, "Wow! I am friggin' millionaire!"

The newly anointed friggin' millionaire says he plans to use some of his friggin' millions to treat his family. "I want to spoil my granddaughter and daughter," he said.  He also wants to create some vacation memories, adding, "I'd like to show my girlfriend some of my favourite places. I love the sun, sand, and beaches."

Besides all those plans, Stanley, admittedly a fan of classic cars and trucks, is looking to acquire his dream classic hot rod.

It's an awesome tale of luck, but let's be real: it's probably not going to pan out the same for you. The odds of winning the Lotto Max jackpot are a slim 1 in 33,446,140 per $6 play, so try as you might, I wouldn't friggin' bet on it.