It has been a season of celebration for lottery enthusiasts in the Durham Region, with two major five-figure prizes recently claimed by local residents. Samir Abubakar of Ajax and Veena Masih of Pickering have both visited the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to collect $50,000 prizes. While their winning strategies differed—ranging from sentimental birthday numbers to a decade-long loyalty to a specific game—both winners expressed a shared desire to use their $50,000 lottery win to support their families and secure their financial futures.
Ajax Winner Plans Tech Surprise and Overseas Travel
Samir Abubakar, a 58-year-old resident of Ajax, struck gold in the March 14 Daily Keno 8 evening draw. Abubakar, who traditionally picks his own numbers based on his daughters’ birthdays, purchased his lucky ticket at the Esso/On the Run on Rossland Road East.
Though he describes himself as a typically reserved person, seeing the $50,000 prize on the screen “lit something up” inside him. Abubakar has a creative plan for his $50,000 lottery win: he intends to surprise his daughters by purchasing each of them a new iPhone 17. Beyond the tech gifts, he plans to pay off bills, share the wealth with his extended family, and fulfill a long-held dream of taking a trip to Ethiopia.
Pickering Forklift Driver’s Decade of Dedication Pays Off
For 64-year-old Veena Masih of Pickering, her win was 10 years in the making. A forklift driver by trade, Masih has maintained a strict routine of playing the same game at the same retailer for over a decade. Her loyalty finally paid off during the Valentine’s Day Lotto 6/49 Super Draw.
Masih was at home on her sofa when she scanned her ticket on the OLG app. Initially miscounting the digits, she believed she had won $5,000 until her son corrected her, pointing out the extra zero. Her winning ticket was purchased at the Smart Food Fair on Pickering Parkway. Masih intends to use her $50,000 lottery win to clear outstanding bills, save for her children’s future, and make a meaningful donation to charity.
The Hub of Luck: Durham’s Lottery Success
These wins reinforce the Durham Region as a frequent destination for OLG prizes. With major retailers in Oshawa, Whitby, and Pickering consistently producing winning tickets, the local community remains highly engaged with national and provincial games.
As Abubakar and Masih move forward with their plans, their stories serve as a reminder to local players to always check their tickets. Whether it’s a sentimental date or a decade of routine, the next major win could be sitting in a wallet in Ajax or a purse in Pickering.
