Man forgets coffee, but brings home big lotto-winning news to his wife in Mississauga

When Saranda Zhuri’s husband went out to pick up coffees for the couple one day recently, he returned without the hot drinks.

The Mississauga mother of two didn’t complain, though, as her partner didn’t come back home empty-handed. He returned with the exciting news that the Lottario ticket he checked for her was an Ontario jackpot winner worth $357,982.50 in the Oct. 5 draw.

“I was at home when my husband headed to the plaza to get us coffees and check my tickets. He came home sooner than I expected and told me the good news. He was so excited that he forgot our coffees,” Zhuri laughed, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her winnings. “I was in a state of shock for two full days. It was all a blur.”

Once the initial shock wore off, the Mississauga woman, who works in a dental office and has played Lottario every week for 20 years, told family about the big win.

“We’ve only shared the news with our daughters. They weren’t sure how to react at first because it felt so unreal, but they are very happy,” Zhuri said. “This win is a huge blessing for our family.”

The lotto winner added that when playing the lottery over the years, she has alternated between picking up Quick Pick tickets and choosing numbers based on family birthdays.

She summed up her and her family’s recent good fortune by offering that “winning comes with a life-changing feeling. I will take it easy, one day at a time. While we need a few things, like a new car, we won’t rush to make any decisions.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Smokes & Lotto, on Burnhamthorpe Road East in Mississauga.