Scarborough Man Wins $100,000 and Plans to Fund Daughter's Education

A Scarborough resident plans to use part of his $100,000 lottery winnings to help pay for his daughter's future education, build savings, and cover household bills after discovering his numbers had won, according to a news release from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).

Robert De Ponte had played the same lottery numbers for 12 years before securing the prize. He discovered his win by checking the winning numbers on OLG's website, according to the corporation's announcement.

After seeing the results, De Ponte immediately told his wife that he had an important announcement. Her initial reaction turned to excitement when he revealed the potential size of their winnings.

De Ponte described his wife's response in the OLG news release, recalling that she initially questioned him because she was busy.

"At first she said, ‘What is it? I’m busy,’” De Ponte said in an OLG news release. “I told her ‘I think we just won $100,000,’ and what happened next was pure joy. She checked the ticket 10 times to make sure it was real.”

The couple's plans for the money include setting aside funds for their daughter's future education, adding to their savings, and paying some bills. The announcement did not specify how much of the prize would go toward each expense.

De Ponte also described the emotional impact of receiving the news, saying the unexpected win was difficult to believe.

“It’s so shocking. I’m in disbelief. I will never forget this day,” De Ponte said.

According to the image caption accompanying the report, De Ponte won the $100,000 MaxPlus prize in the Sept. 4 Lotto Max draw. OLG provided the photograph identifying the winner.