Pickleball first, then cash in lucky lotto ticket, says big Mississauga winner

As far as immediate reactions to big lottery wins go, it’s safe to say Charles Jonczyk’s response was unique.

The Mississauga man, who’s retired from the working world, recently learned he’d matched all five main numbers on his Daily Grand ticket in the Nov. 21 draw to win a cool second-prize amount of $250,000.

What was the first thing he did upon realizing he’d won big?

He went to play pickleball, of course, the decades-old racquet sport that’s made a dramatic comeback in terms of popularity in recent years in Mississauga and across Canada and the U.S.

“I set the ticket aside and went to play pickleball for a couple of hours before going back to review the ticket again,” Jonczyk recounted while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his windfall.

Moments earlier, the Mississauga man told his OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation) audience that he had been in his kitchen checking his lotto tickets “when I noticed I had matched a few numbers on my Daily Grand ticket. Then I noticed a few more and my excitement grew. When I realized I had matched five numbers, I was in disbelief.”

After a few rounds of pickleball, Jonczyk returned home and went about confirming — and collecting — his money prize.

“I then brought my ticket to the store to have it validated. The ‘Big Winner’ message came up on the screen and that’s when I learned the prize amount,” he said. “That’s when it began to feel real. My heart was racing and hands were shaking. I was filled with nervous excitement, but I tried to keep my cool so I could remember what I needed to do next.

“I haven’t been able to get a full night’s sleep since,” he added with a laugh.

Jonczyk’s winning ticket was one of two in that draw, so he split the second prize with another winner.

An OLG official told INsauga.com the Mississauga man decided to take a lump sum of $250,000 instead of going the $25,000 a year for life route.

Jonczyk told lottery officials he’s been playing the lottery with OLG for decades. A longtime player of Lotto 6/49 and Ontario 49, he decided to give Daily Grand a go about four years ago.

He won a few small prizes and stayed loyal to the game, the OLG said, leading up to his big win in November.

“I’m grateful for this win; it gives me a lot of comfort. My vehicle has been good to me, but it’s quite tired. I think it’s time for an upgrade,” Jonczyk said. “I also want to plan a trip to Newfoundland. I’ve always wanted to explore and experience all that the province has to offer. The rest will be saved to enjoy during my retirement.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Peckett’s IDA Pharmacy, on Dundas Street East in Mississauga.