Walk into a store to buy a cigar, walk out with $5 million!

[JohnS]

With the price of cigars these days, don't you wish this could happen to you?

Ontario man’s cigar purchase comes with $5M lottery prize on side

Denette Wilford - Published Aug 19, 2025

David MacDonald of Belle River, Ont., won $5 million with Instant scratch lottery ticket. Photo by OLG

In for a cigar, out for five million smackeroos.

That’s pretty much what happened to an Ontario man who went to the store to purchase a stogie and figured he would buy a lottery ticket as well.

David MacDonald of Belle River, Ont., has been a loyal OLG player since he was of legal age to buy tickets.

While Lotto 6/49, Lottario and Poker Lotto are his favourite games, he does buy the occasional Instant tickets “because of the win potential.”

Well, that potential became a fact after the skilled trades worker is now $5 million richer.

“When I realized I’d won, I felt a little overwhelmed and started shaking,” he said while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim his windfall. “I was in disbelief and had to scan my ticket twice, just to be sure it was real.”

He was so stunned that the store clerk gave him some water and offered him a seat.

“In that moment, my legs felt like jelly,” MacDonald recalled with a laugh. “I was completely shocked, and my heart was racing. I just kept thinking to myself, ‘This can’t be true!’”

Instead of calling his wife, he waited until he got home to share the news with her.

“I showed her the slip from the store, and she was just as shocked as I was,” he said.

“She was so happy and asked, ‘Does this mean I can retire now?’”

The answer? Yes.

“I will share this win with my wife to give her an early retirement,” he said.

“I also plan to take care of my mom and help out my kids. This win means I can give my children a hand up to build their lives, and that means so much to me.”

MacDonald doesn’t plan to fully quit his job but admitted he does plan “to take a bit of a step back from work to spend more time with myself and my family.”

While he tends to put others first, he does have some travel dreams for himself.

“I’ll take this opportunity to enjoy a bucket list trip I’ve always wanted to take — a tour of England, Scotland, and Ireland.”

As for the big win, MacDonald called it “crazy.

“Knowing I walked into the store to buy a cigar and left with $5 million — it blows my mind,” he mused.

“Even now, seeing my name on the cheque, it’s hard to believe.”

Source: https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/ontario-mans-wife-can-retire-early-after-cigar-purchase-ends-with-5m-lottery-prize

[Ford2112]

Now he can afford Cohibas.

[zeedubbya]

8 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

Now he can afford Cohibas.

Maybe, but it’s good to see he’s choosing to help his kids build a life than pick up 2 maybe 3 boxes of Siglo 6 with his winnings…

[Ford2112]

Always good to see people invest in the future. 

[Li Bai]

Good for him !

I never quite understand why those winners don't choose to stay anonymous, I certainly would 🤔

[BrightonCorgi]

How much of that will be paid back in taxes?

[Cigar Surgeon]

9 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

How much of that will be paid back in taxes?

Zero. As lottery winnings in Canada are considered 'windfalls' and are tax exempt.

[BrightonCorgi]

5 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

Zero.  As lottery winnings in Canada are considered 'windfalls' and are tax exempt.

No kidding! That's great.

[Li Bai]

5 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

Zero. As lottery winnings in Canada are considered 'windfalls' and are tax exempt.

Nice! Same here in France, btw.