Two Hamilton men cash separate $1 million lotto prizes

Published June 30, 2020 at 3:46 pm

Giovanni Salciccioli of Stoney Creek and Jaak Buss of Hamilton won $1 million lotto prizes.

Giovanni Salciccioli of Stoney Creek and Jaak Buss of Hamilton won $1 million lotto prizes.

Giovanni won the Maxmillions prize in the March 31 Lotto Max draw while Jaak cashed in with the guaranteed $1 Million Prize in the May 13 Lotto 6/49 draw.

Giovanni, a 56-year-old automotive parts advisor, said he was out running errands the day following the draw but kept forgetting to scan his tickets.

“When I got home and realized that all my numbers matched, I showed my wife. She thought it was an April Fool’s Day joke,” laughed Giovanni, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his cheque.

He already purchased new cars for himself and his daughter.

“I’m also planning to invest, do some home renovations and accelerate my retirement”, Giovanni added. “This win changes my life.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Avondale on Rymal Road in Hannon.

Jaak, meanwhile, is no stranger to big OLG prizes. The 66-year-old retiree won $25,000 with Instant Crossword back in 2001 and won $8,700 with Poker Lotto in late April. 

Jaak checked his latest winning ticket in the middle of the night on the OLG Lottery App.

“I woke up my wife and said, ‘I don’t mean to disturb you, but I won a million dollars!'” he laughed.

The father and grandfather of one plans to pay some bills, help out his family and sit back and relax. “I already bought my dream car—a Camaro convertible—and we plan to tour wine country in it this summer.”

The OLG Prize Centre in Toronto has resumed in-person prize claims for winning-ticket holders of $50,000 or more by appointment only.

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