Mississauga Man Claims Winning Lottery Ticket Just Days Before It Expires

Talks about a close call.

A very lucky Mississauga citizen by the name of Stennett Oakley has managed to claim a winning lottery ticket just a few days before it expired, earning himself a hefty $500,000, according to the Mississauga News.

“It’s literally the ticket that almost got away,” Oakley told The News. “I bought this ticket for the July 10, 2015 Lotto Max draw.”

Oakley said he often puts aside his lottery tickets in a box at home, and won’t check them until months later. He checked a few of them last October but ironically missed this winning ticket, which he had purchased from King Mini Mart on King Street, Toronto.

“When I checked this ticket, I saw ‘Big Win’ flash on the screen and I knew there was a five with many zeros behind it,” he told The News. “I chose to go home and share the good news with my wife.”

Although this isn’t Oakley’s first time winning the lottery, the smaller cash prizes he’s claimed in the past pale in comparison to this one.

Oakley wants to use the lottery money to pay off his mortgage and take his family on a vacation.