Some kids have all the luck.
An Aurora man got the shock of his young life when he discovered he had a winning Lottario ticket.
Matin Kelidisian, 19, says he only began playing the lottery about three months ago and buys a variety of tickets including Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, Ontario 49 and Lottario.
However, as he told OLG officials, he never imagined that mere months after buying his first ticket that he’d be collecting a jackpot of $1,430,311.
“I went to the store to have my ticket validated. When I saw the prize amount, I immediately started running around the store,” he recounted while picking up his windfall from the Dec. 21, 2024 Lottario draw at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto.
He said he felt “pure joy” and started screaming that he won.
“The other customers in the store were looking at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t care,” Kelidisian said with a laugh.
“It was the happiest moment ever,” he said. “My face was red and I was shaking. It was electrifying — like a thousand shocks coursing through my body.”
He noted that the store clerk even offered him water “and suggested I take a seat to catch my breath.”
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Once the young man composed himself, he called his parents to tell them the incredible news and ask them to come to the store.
“They dropped everything and got to me within 10 minutes,” the apprentice said.
“When my mom saw me, her reaction was priceless. She was crying tears of joy and telling everyone in the store how deserving I was of this prize. Hearing my mom speak those kind words was such a beautiful feeling.”
Kelidisian revealed he only told his parents, sister and girlfriend of his big win, adding all of whom “couldn’t be happier” for him, but said he wanted to wait until he got the cheque before telling others.
“I can’t wait to see my friends’ reactions when I tell them!”
Kelidisian plans to ease some of his parents’ financial stress by helping them with bills and their mortgage, while also paying off his sister’s student loans and investing for his future. However, he also plans to have some fun with his winnings.
“I’ve never been outside of Canada, so I think I’ll treat myself to a few trips. First stop — the Dominican (Republic)!”
He added: “I’m so thankful for this win. I feel blessed to have won this jackpot at my age.”