'We kept pinching ourselves': Sault retiree celebrates $100K lotto win

Saying “yes” to Encore paid off big time for Sault Ste. Marie's Brian Lalonde.

In the Oct. 21 Lottario draw, Lalonde matched the last six of seven Encore numbers in exact order to win $100,000.

The 68-year-old father and grandfather was at the store with his wife when he decided to check his tickets, according to a news release issued by the OLG.

"I saw the congratulations message and said to my wife, 'I think we won maybe $1,000 or $10,000,' " Lalonde said. "When we confirmed the win with the clerk, he said, 'You won more than $10,000!' We were ecstatic when we learned it was $100,000! We kept pinching ourselves — it was incredible!"

A retiree, Lalonde says he has been playing the lottery regularly for more than 30 years — and "always" says yes to Encore.

Brian plans to invest, do projects around the house and treat himself and his wife to a fun trip to celebrate.

The winning ticket was purchased at Esso on the Run on Bruce Street.