GTA woman waited 30 minutes before telling mom she won $60M in OLG Lotto Max

Ontario’s newest millionaire says she was in such disbelief after winning $60 million in the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) Lotto Max that she drove 30 minutes with her mother before spilling the excellent news.

OLG revealed Camellia Kazemi of Richmond Hill as the big prize winner from the Nov. 29, 2022 draw, purchased at the Bayview Kitchen Food Fair on Bayview Avenue in Richmond Hill.

Kazemi said she’d been a regular Lotto Max player for years, and while she usually would choose her numbers, she switched to QuickPicks a few months ago.

“I stopped at a gas station and decided to check my Lotto Max ticket, unaware the $60 million winning ticket was sold in Richmond Hill,” Kazemi told the OLG in Toronto.

“I gave my ticket to the clerk, and when the winning jingle started playing, I knew I won something but didn’t know how much until OLG called the store and told me it was $60 million.”

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Kazemi said her mother was waiting in the car outside the gas station, unaware that her daughter had just become a millionaire.

“I couldn’t concentrate and started to shake,” Kazemi continued. “The clerk, who was very excited for me, helped calm me down so I could go back to my car without worrying my mom that something was wrong.”

She quietly drove with her mother for half an hour before arriving home. Kazemi said she was mentally preparing herself for how to share the news.

“I stopped to pray for a moment, and then, in what felt like an out-of-body experience, I said the words, ‘I am the big lottery winner in Richmond Hill!”

Kazemi said her sister didn’t believe her at first, but eventually, they bought in. As for what she plans to do with the winnings, the Richmond Hill woman plans on being smart about it while putting some aside for travelling.

“I want to be an entrepreneur and create jobs, but I need to take the time to figure out how to do this sustainably,” Kazemi said.

“A win this big needs to be shared, and who better to share it with than the people I love the most.”