Published on: August 18, 2025, 11:07 AM.
Updated on: August 18, 2025, 11:46 AM.
- Transformative $34 million lottery jackpot for Ontario couple
- New dream residence, cross-Canada adventure, and diamond jewelry among aspirational goals
A couple from Ontario has converted their date night routine into an astonishing $34 million lottery victory.
According to Joe and Lise Menard of Cache Bay, Ontario—located on the northern shore of Lake Nipissing—their Friday nights have consistently been reserved for date night over their 36 years of marriage.
This weekly ritual typically includes dining at a restaurant, followed by a stop to purchase their regular lottery tickets.
This occasion, they visited Arrowhead Gas Bar on Nipissing First Nation, close to North Bay, for their tickets. Lise recalled that they had some old lottery tickets in her purse that hadn’t been checked yet.
Antique Vehicle Acquisition
“While I paid for the gas, I requested the clerk to verify the old lottery tickets,” Joe shared. “Upon confirming they were not winners, the clerk inquired if I wanted to replay them. Normally, I choose new tickets through Quick Pick, but this time I opted to replay our previous selections.”
When I heard on the news that a LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball ticket was sold in Northern Ontario, I had a feeling it was us,” he noted. “Later that evening, Lise checked the tickets using the OLG [Ontario Lottery and Gaming] app.”
To their amazement, the couple won the $34 million jackpot during the LOTTO 6/49 Gold Ball draw held on June 21, 2025.
Lise revealed that while checking the tickets on her phone later that night, she “almost had a heart attack.”
Providing for Their Family
“I kept exclaiming ‘Joe! Joe! Joe!’ Initially, he thought we had secured $34,000, and I urged him to notice all the zeros!” she recounted.
The next steps for the couple? Joe and Lise first met when he escorted her to prom. Since then, they have raised a family and lived simply, dedicated to hard work.
This lottery win eliminates the need to scrape by.
“Our main priority is to provide for our children in the best way possible,” Lise expressed, clearly moved. “Now, my kids will be well taken care of—no more stressing. Whenever someone needs support, we’ll be there.”
Initially Believed to Win $34K
The couple’s dream of traveling across Canada, visiting all the major cities, is now within reach.
“I’ve always wanted to gift her a dream home, and now that’s happening,” Joe said.
Lise dreams of having one noteworthy feature in their new home.
“I’ve always envisioned having a large harvest table so everyone can gather for family meals and host during holidays,” she expressed. “No longer will we be scattered throughout the house—now we’ll be united.”
Genuine Diamond Jewelry
Joe has a passion for working on vintage cars and plans to buy a hot rod, something he has yearned for since he was 16. Additionally, he intends to purchase a genuine diamond ring for his wife, replacing the playful replica she currently wears—crafted from a steel nut and a large novelty crystal, a humorous gift from their 15th anniversary that he had long promised to upgrade.
At the heart of their lives together is the importance of family, Lise emphasized.
“Joe often says, ‘What Momma wants, Momma gets.’ Even when times were tough, he has always given me what I desired and never held back,” she remarked. “He is my best friend, always will be.”