Toronto janitor claims share of $50M lottery jackpot

Apr 20, 2011, 10:37 am (20 comments)

Canada Lotto Max

A Toronto man has claimed his share of a massive $50 million lottery jackpot, four days after the ticket he purchased at a downtown newsstand was declared a winner.

John Addo, who came to Canada from Ghana 20 years ago, picked up his cheque for $16.6 million on Tuesday, saying he was too overwhelmed to claim his prize immediately.

"When I gave the retailer my ticket and she told me how much I won, I went into shock. I immediately went straight home and lay down for awhile to think about it," Addo stated on Tuesday. "Then I called a friend to come over, so that I could tell someone."

Friday's $50 million jackpot was split between Addo and two other winners. Jonathan Hines, from Sarnia, Ont., claimed his $16.6 million share on Monday. Another ticket purchased in Quebec has yet to be claimed.

Addo moved from Ghana to Montreal 20 years ago, before settling in Toronto in 2008 and working at a local industrial cleaning company. He said he would use his winnings to visit his family in Ghana.

The latest Ontario wins add to string of luck the region has had recently, which has seen three $50 million jackpots claimed by Toronto-area players.

A $50 million jackpot was claimed by three Toronto bakery workers in March, while a group of 19 Bell Canada workers won the jackpot in January before nine other stepped forward to claim partial ownership. OLG paid the original group $31.7 million, while ownership of the rest of the prize remains embroiled in a court dispute.

Another $50 million prize was also won by a group of Toronto-area factory workers, who face a similar dispute with an additional claimant.

CTV

Comments

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

I will not be overwhelmed when I win !

Patriot

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

I'm always glad to see a working man strike it rich.

It's not that the super-rich (like George Soros or Michael Moore or Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi) don't deserve it if they buy a ticket, it's just that they're so ungodly rich already that they wouldn't appreciate it as much as a common working man or woman.

That's why I'd rather see common working people like John Addo win than the filthy rich people like Bill Maher or Barney Frank or the Obamas or the Clintons or Charles Schumer or Eric Holder or any of the other wildly wealthy people.

Those people are all so loaded and living fabulous lives in the lap of luxury already, you would have to wonder why they would even buy a ticket. They are so far removed from us by their mountains of money that they can't even relate to us, the common people, anymore.

And now with the war to take Libya's oil they will get even richer.

But still they have a right to buy a ticket to try to get even richer.

So please don't hold their ridiculously fabulous wealth against them.

fwlawrence's avatarfwlawrence

This is the second story about a janitor winning the lottery. I feel a career change coming on!Wink

nickey t's avatarnickey t

Quote: Originally posted by fwlawrence on Apr 20, 2011

This is the second story about a janitor winning the lottery. I feel a career change coming on!Wink

girl, i have a bucket and mop in hand right now!

but that's a realistic reaction - shock and the need to lay down

and that must have been a good friend - we all need THAT type of friend, someone you can just share with honestly

and Ghana, here he comes .. i hope you guys make him KING of the entire village! Hat

is he single? Wink

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Congrats to Mr. Addo...Thumbs Up

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by fwlawrence on Apr 20, 2011

This is the second story about a janitor winning the lottery. I feel a career change coming on!Wink

LOL......

sully16's avatarsully16

Congrats to Mr. Addo, enjoy !Cheers

dphillips's avatardphillips

Congratulations to the winner, again, and may he enjoy good health and wealth. However, the beauty of his winning is...it's tax free! Wake up, The United States -- give us a break. You mean to tell me that Canada is in such excellent financial health that the government can afford not to tax lotteries? Would someone please explain this logic?

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by dphillips on Apr 20, 2011

Congratulations to the winner, again, and may he enjoy good health and wealth. However, the beauty of his winning is...it's tax free! Wake up, The United States -- give us a break. You mean to tell me that Canada is in such excellent financial health that the government can afford not to tax lotteries? Would someone please explain this logic?

I agree about the taxes but that's as far as I'd wanna go to emulate Canada. They're strange up there. I think it's all the acid rain. I asked one of em why they call french fries hot chips one time and his response was: "Take off, hoser!" What the hell kinda answer is that?

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

I am looking for a story about a guy in his late Fifties that is on Disability winning a nice Jackpot!

What a great story that would be!

Janitor stories are OK, but a guy in his late Fifties and on Disability would be even better ............. ................just sayin' .................   Thumbs Up

ressuccess's avatarressuccess

Congratulations to the Janitor. I hope he retires.

butterflykt's avatarbutterflykt

Great story...Hope to have one tomorrow night!

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Apr 21, 2011

I am looking for a story about a guy in his late Fifties that is on Disability winning a nice Jackpot!

What a great story that would be!

Janitor stories are OK, but a guy in his late Fifties and on Disability would be even better ............. ................just sayin' .................   Thumbs Up

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Quote: Originally posted by fwlawrence on Apr 20, 2011

This is the second story about a janitor winning the lottery. I feel a career change coming on!Wink

Yes!!! I Agree!

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