KAMINISTIQUIA — A local lottery player has won a six-figure prize.
Michael Niittynen added Encore to a Lotto Max ticket he picked up on Dec. 6, 2024, and when he checked his ticket, the father-of-four learned he was $100,000 richer.
Niittynen, a long-time lottery player, gets tickets weekly, and said he was surprised when he heard the jackpot music when he checked his tickets.
“I realized I’d won when I scanned my ticket at the store,” Niittynen said.
“I said, ‘Right on!’ and was smiling from ear to ear. I told my brother and my kids right away, but at first, they didn’t believe me."
“Of course, they’re now believers and are so happy for me.”
“Winning is a pretty awesome feeling,” he added. “I wish there was one more zero, but there’s always next time."
With his windfall, Niittynen plans to pay some bills.
He purchased the winning ticket at Esso on Highway 17 in Kakabeka Falls.
