One lottery player is set for retirement after winning an impressive prize — and it&#8217;s her second win in just a year.
Marianne &#8220;Mary&#8221; Spence lives in London, Ont., where she works at a law office. She&#8217;s no stranger to playing the lottery, having played for about 40 years. Her luck finally turned in February after scoring her first big win.
&#8220;I started playing Instant tickets on the bus, and I like games that take a bit longer to play,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Back in February, I won $20,000 on Instant Ruby Solitaire, and I was ecstatic.&#8221;
The lucky winner headed to the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim her prize, but little did she know that she&#8217;d be back claiming another prize in less than a year.
While at a lottery kiosk one day, Spence recalled a $10 ticket that caught her eye.
&#8220;I noticed this game was brand new, so I decided to give it a try,&#8221; she recalled. &#8220;This was the first time I ever played it.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_2233827" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2233827" class="size-full wp-image-2233827" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_1860903124-scaled.jpg" alt="lottery" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_1860903124-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_1860903124-500x333.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_1860903124-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_1860903124-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_1860903124-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/01/shutterstock_1860903124-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock</div>
Trying something new paid off, as her disbelief grew as she uncovered her big win.
&#8220;I began to shake and had to take some time to process what happened,&#8221; she stated.
Spence&#8217;s second win was far bigger than her first one — a $250,000 prize. That night, she shared the happy news with her family.
&#8220;At first, they thought I won $25,000,&#8221; she said with a chuckle.
Spence found herself at the Toronto OLG Prize Centre once again to claim her winnings. While there, she shared plans for her windfall.
&#8220;My daughter is planning on getting her licence soon, so we&#8217;re going to buy a nice new car,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;Retirement is also in the picture for me. This win has brought me a lot of joy in realizing the possibilities that lie ahead.&#8221;
When asked what it&#8217;s like to win, she said that she &#8220;can&#8217;t put it into any other words besides amazing.&#8221;
&#8220;I can&#8217;t stop smiling!&#8221; she said.
Spence purchased her ticket at Market Lottery on King Street in London.
All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, <a href="https://canadasafetycouncil.org/gambling-addiction/">check out these resources</a>.
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One lottery player is set for retirement after winning an impressive prize — and it's her second win in just a year.