Five years of friendship just paid off for a London man and woman.
Renate Prossler and Giovanni (John) Stillitano won $100,000 by matching six of seven Encore numbers in exact order in the January 6 Lotto 6/49 draw.
The pair have been friends for the past five years and have spent several of them playing the lottery together. Prossler handles purchasing the tickets as she never misses a draw and told Stillitano immediately about their six-figure win.
"Renate called me and said we won – I could tell her voice was shaking. I went over to see her in person," Stillitano said at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto.
Prossler added the win, their first big one, came as a huge surprise.
"I was shaking," Prossler said.
Both shared the news with their families who were happy for their windfall.
Stillitano plans to use his share of the money to make retirement "more comfortable" and share with his kids. Prossler said she will be celebrating with a special lunch with her best friend and sister-in-law.
"Winning this with my friend John makes this experience more special," she said.
The winning ticket was purchased at a Shoppers Drug Mart on Oxford Street in London.
