Ontario woman discovers $16M lottery win on her birthday

Canada could see Lotto 6/49 award its largest-ever jackpot on Wednesday night as its Gold Ball draw is guaranteed to be awarded after weeks since it was first put in place, with $68 million up for grabs. Sean Previl reports on what steps Canadians should take and what you should know if you're lucky enough to see that big cash windfall.

A woman from Cavan, Ont., had a birthday she’ll never forget after discovering she had won a lottery prize worth $16 million.

The OLG reports a woman named Darlene M. claimed the prize from the Lotto 6-49 Gold Ball draw held on May 30.

The following day, the OLG reported the winning ticket had been sold in Peterborough. Cavan is located just 25 kilometres southwest of Peterborough.

The 63-year-old retiree says she checked her ticket on her birthday.

“I checked it using the OLG app and ran inside the house to tell my sister right away,” she told the OLG. “I had to make sure what I was seeing was real. I was shocked.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Giant Tiger on Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough.

“It’s hard to wrap my head around this,” she said. “I shared the news with the rest of my family, and they were all also in shock and disbelief.”

Along with paying some bills, she plans to use her winnings to buy a new truck and help her children purchase a home.

“I’d also like to support animal welfare initiatives that are important to me,” she said.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

You May Also Like

Top Stories