- Two Ontario buddies split maximum $80 million lottery jackpot
- Increase in max payout to $90 million for LOTTO MAX announced earlier in April
- Friends also scored a second prize in the same draw, for another $400K
If an $80 million jackpot wasn’t enough, two long time Ontario friends also saw another $403,285 added to their winnings pile in a LOTTO MAX draw from late December, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) announced today.
$80 Million Win
The full names of the two friends, both from London, Ont., weren’t released by OLG. A ticket bought by Greg S. and Krys P. on Dec. 30, 2025, at Happy Day’s Mini Mart in London, matched all the numbers for the maximum $80 million jackpot.
If that wasn’t enough, the pair had also chosen the LOTTO MAX Combination Play option and won the second prize on the same draw, scoring another $403,285.
The two men said they will be splitting the total winnings 50-50.
Combination Play Bonus
They met decades ago in an English as a Second Language class, and have teamed on lottery ticket buys for years, only buying tickets when the jackpots were high, selecting Quick Pick numbers with an eight number Combination Play.
“One-by-one I circled my numbers to see if they matched the winning numbers – until I realized I circled them all,” said Greg.
When he noticed the ticket matched all the winning numbers, he told his wife he thought they had won something.
Two Friends Met in the 1990s
“Then I checked using the OLG app because I didn’t know how much we won,” he said. “I saw the words Big Winner and the number 80 but I didn’t believe it at first. It was unbelievable! I checked it again and I saw the eight, the zeros and the commas and I knew it was $80 million!”
Then it was time to share the news with his buddy.
“It was the morning when Greg’s wife called to tell me the news – I had just woken up,” said Krys. “She asked me if I checked our ticket yet. I checked it with my wife and saw we matched all the numbers. I was very happy, and very nervous too.”
Lottery Cap Going to $90 Million
Krys then quickly headed over to Greg’s house.
“I went over to Greg’s to check the ticket together and shake his hand,” he said. “He is the one who always took the time to go to the store and buy our tickets.”
Greg just retired from a manufacturing job, never having missed a day of work in 28 years. Everything changes now. He’s met with a financial advisor to invest and map out the next chapter of his life. His to-do list includes buying a new home, spending more time with family, plus travelling to places like Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
“It’s surreal. I’ve been playing for years, but you never expect something like this to happen,” he said. “Once the initial shock wore off, my focus shifted to planning.
“It allows us not only to secure our own future, but that of generations to come. At the same time, we plan to continue living simply, sharing this blessing and enjoying it with the people we love most.”
Initial Shock
Like his friend, Krys said he also plans to buy a new home and a car and hopes to travel to some tropical destinations. And he has also sought out financial advice.
“My life will 100% change,” he said. “I worked 12–hour shifts in a factory for 28 years. We learned to live within our means and save our money. I worked hard for my life in Canada. Now I can spend more time traveling and being with my kids. I’m still shocked – I’ve never seen money like this in my life.
“I don’t want to go crazy. I want to listen to my team and make sure we’re setting things up properly for future generations.”
As announced earlier this month, the LOTTO MAX jackpot cap has increased from $80 million to $90 million.
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Rephrased by The Mystic Gambler