'Family is so happy for me' - Local man wins $100K in Lotto Max

A local man, who has been playing the lottery for over 20 years, won $100,000 after he matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in the exact order in the Sept. 23 Lotto Max draw.

Carlo Vernelli, a repairman, says he hasn't decided what to do with his win yet. He says he needs to process "this whole journey before making any decisions."

For more information, read the news release below:

Saying “yes” to Encore paid off for Carlo Vernelli of Sault Ste. Marie. He matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in the exact order in the Sept. 23, 2022 Lotto Max draw to win $100,000!
 
Vernelli, a repairman, says he has been playing the lottery for over 20 years. "I always say yes to Encore. This is my first big win," he shared while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings. "I was at the store when I checked my ticket using the Ticket Checker and saw the Big Winner screen. I thought, 'Does that say $100,000?' and must have scanned it four or five more times."
 
Vernelli says he went home to tell his wife, who didn't believe him, so he brought her back to the store so she could see for herself. "My family is so happy for me," he smiled.
 
Vernelli says he hasn't made any decisions for his win yet. "I will tuck it in the bank and process this whole journey before making any decisions," he concluded.
 
Encore offers 22 ways to win and can be played in conjunction with most lottery games for an extra $1. There is an Encore draw every day.
 
OLG is booking in-person prize claim appointments at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto. We strongly encourage those with claims between $1,000 and $49,999.90 to submit them online or mail them in. Submitting claims online is fast and secure. Customers with prizes over $50,000 are asked to call 1-800-387-0098 to discuss available prize claim options.
 
The winning ticket was purchased at Mac's on Boundary Road in Sault Ste. Marie.