The couple recently expanded their family and welcomed a newborn.
“I have been through so many good things in the past week. From having my newborn to having my mother-in-law come and receiving amazing support. To have this happen, absolutely no way,” said Stuart-Flynn. “I said if we ever win big money, I would first buy my sister a house. And that’s what we’re going to do.”
The northern Ontario couple had just returned home from the Toronto hospital where their baby was born after a high-risk pregnancy.
“Kyle was waiting at the Timmins airport to pick up his mother, who was coming to help with the newborn,” OLG said.
“That’s when Jennifer texted Kyle, asking him to purchase a Lotto Max ticket after seeing on social media that the jackpot was at $70 million.”
The morning after the draw, Stuart-Flynn, 33, said she checked the ticket with the lottery app on her phone after hearing the ticket was sold in their region.
“I … heard the 'Winner/Gagnant' win tone,” she said. “I was in shock and not processing what was happening, so I shut down the OLG App and reopened it. I checked the ticket again and heard the same thing. That’s when I called out to Kyle.”
Murray, 39, said when he saw '$70 million winner,' he felt light-headed.
“Everything for us has seemed to come in threes, the good, the bad and this was the most positive threes from the start, where we had our newborn to my husband's promotion and now, winning the lottery, I am so grateful,” his wife said in an interview with OLG.
To celebrate, the couple took their kids and Murray's mom out to eat at a local restaurant.
“We wanted to shout the news, but we knew that in our small town, this type of news would travel very fast. We had to be careful not to spill the beans throughout the entire dinner,” Stuart-Flynn said.
When the couple picked up their winnings at the Toronto prize centre, Murray told officials the last few years have been a struggle for his family.
“Everything we did was to make a better life for the kids,” he said.
Stuart-Flynn said realizing that her kids “are going to have a much better life than I had,” makes her emotional.
“They are set and won’t have to wonder or worry about anything anymore,” she said.
Not regular lottery players, Stuart-Flynn said she has maybe bought five or six tickets in her life.
Murray said he’d love to purchase a new property with the winnings.
“Build a little farm. Set something up that the kids will want to come back to,” he explained. “The last few years have been a struggle. Everything we did was try to give them a better life, and nothing we did got them to the point we’re at now.”
Stuart-Flynn said that she’s beyond grateful her children will have a different life than she had growing up.
“That’s the part that makes me most emotional,” she said.
“My kids are set and will never have to wonder about anything. Everything for us has seemed to come in three: the good and the bad. This was the most positive three from the start when we had our newborn to my husband’s promotion, and now winning the lottery.”
The couple’s $70 million win is the sixth jackpot win in a row in Ontario this year, the OLG said.
The OLG announced that its top Lotto Max prize will swell to $80 million on Tuesday, Sept. 17. This is the highest amount of money a Canadian lottery has ever reached and will top last week’s record of $75 million.
OLG says the next draw will offer 18 additional Maxmillions prizes worth $1 million each. Buyers who want to obtain a ticket have until 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday to make their purchase.
He bought the winning ticket at the Esso gas station on Algonquin Boulevard in Timmins.
“Now, if they (an OLG retailer) happen to win or happened to redeem a big prize like a lot of max jackpot prize, they do get a little bump in commission between $2,000 and $3,000, depending on how many times the jackpot has rolled,” said OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti.
“There's a formulation for that, though, too. But regardless, if they sell these big jackpot winning tickets or not, it's still getting 8% commission overall and to share in $330 million in commissions is quite good.”
OLG's Record-Breaking Jackpot
The OLG recently decided to increase the Lotto Max jackpot to $80 million – with last Friday’s jackpot reaching $75 million for the first time not won Tuesday’s draw will set a new record.
The New High for Canadian Lotteries
The new high for Canadian lotteries is $80 million, and the next Lotto Max draw will offer 18 additional Maxmillions prizes worth $1 million each.
The Power of Lotto Max
Lotto Max has brought joy to many families across the country. The OLG said it is proud to be a leader in promoting responsible gambling with its globally recognized PlaySmart program.
What's Next for the Lucky Couple?
Now, the lucky couple has their sights set on using their winnings to create a better life for their family. They plan to buy their sister a house, purchase land to build a farm, and ensure their children’s future security. With their winnings, they are looking forward to a brighter and more comfortable future.
The next Lotto Max draw will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at 10:30 p.m. EST. Good luck to everyone playing!
