Meet the Sault's newest multi-millionaires

Just two days after taking early retirement from Algoma Steel, Mario Avati (shown) got an unexpected bonus.

Avati won $5 million in a Lotto 649 draw.

He's sharing the ticket with his wife Mary, 44.

Our photograph shows the happy couple picking up their winnings cheque yesterday.

The following is the full text of a news release issued by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp:

**************************************************************** Retired Sault steelworker hits the jackpot

A Sault Ste. Marie man’s early retirement plans took a surprise this week when he discovered he was holding a lottery ticket worth $5 million.

Only two days after retiring from Algoma Steel, 54 year old Mario Avati discovered he was holding a LOTTO 6/49 ticket worth $5 million from the Saturday July 19th $10 million dollar draw.

His numbers matched all of the winning numbers from the draw making him $5 million richer.

A Toronto resident also held the winning numbers and also won $5 million.

Mario shares the ticket with his 44-year-old wife Mary who is a local hairstylist.

The couple has a total of four children. They plan to take a European holiday and share their winnings with their family including covering the cost of university for the children.

Mario says that when he found out he held the multi-million dollar ticket he tried to share the good news with his daughter who was asleep at the time.

She told him she was tired and wanted to go back to sleep.

The winning ticket was purchased at Village Variety and Video Store on Village Court.

The winning numbers from the draw were: 4, 13, 33, 36, 41, 47.

Sault Ste. Marie, which is home to more than 900 Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation employees, has a long history of major lottery winners.

Since the lotteries started in the 1970’s, more than $49 million in major lottery prizes have been won by Sault residents.

The winners include a local woman who collected almost $14 million in a Lotto 6/49 draw in July of 1991.

****************************************************************