Dennis C. of Mississauga, Ontario, has been playing the lottery for about 30 years. His winning ticket was a Daily Grand play in the draw on Thursday, September 3, 2026, and the way he found out could hardly have been more everyday. He picked up some coffee, had breakfast at home and decided to check his tickets, insauga reported. When he checked this one, it showed C$25,000 a year for life; at first he couldn't process it, he recalled, and he was thrilled, his heart racing.
Five main numbers, then the lump sum
According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), which sells Canada's national Daily Grand game in Ontario, Dennis matched all five main numbers to win the second prize of C$25,000 a year for life. That is one step below the top prize, which also requires matching the Grand Number. The winning ticket was purchased on North Service Road in Mississauga.
Winning the lottery, he told OLG in comments relayed by insauga, was an out-of-this-world experience, and the feeling was unreal.
When it came to the payout, Dennis opted for the lump-sum payment of C$500,000 rather than the yearly payments for life. OLG lists the prize as paid on September 28, 2026.
Worth knowing: lottery winnings are not taxed in Canada, according to the Canada Revenue Agency. That covers the prize itself; anything beyond it is a question for the CRA or a qualified professional.
Telling his mother first, and taking his time
At the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto, where he went to collect his winnings, Dennis said he told his mother first.
She thought he was fibbing, he said, laughing; the two of them just stood there in awe and disbelief, trying to process what had just happened.
He plans to save and invest his winnings for the future, and he said he wants to take some time to think about it rather than make any rash decisions.
The choice at the centre of this Daily Grand story — C$25,000 a year for life, or a C$500,000 lump sum — is a personal one, and there is no general right answer. It turns on a winner's own circumstances, which is why a qualified financial professional is the right person to ask. The full results for that draw are on our Daily Grand page for September 3, 2026.
His years of playing are part of his story, not a method: every Daily Grand draw is random, and a prize at this level is a genuine long shot. What lingers is something quieter — a ticket checked after breakfast, a mother who thought he was fibbing, and a winner who wants to take his time.
Play for fun, within a budget you set in advance. If gambling has stopped being fun, support is available through the problem gambling helpline for your province or territory — the Responsible Gambling Council lists every one on its Help for Canadians page.
Always confirm winning numbers, prize amounts, and deadlines with the official operator before acting on a ticket — the operator's published results are the only ones that count.
Sources
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OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation), September 29, 2026, "Prize Winners paid on September 28th 2026" — OLG's list of lottery prizes paid on September 28, 2026
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insauga, October 9, 2026, "Mississauga man wins big after playing lottery for 30 years" by Abeer Ayyoub — insauga's report on the Mississauga Daily Grand win
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OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation), accessed October 9, 2026, Daily Grand odds and payouts — OLG's Daily Grand odds and payouts page
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WCLC (Western Canada Lottery Corporation), accessed October 9, 2026, "WCLC - DAILY GRAND" — WCLC's Daily Grand game page
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OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation), accessed October 9, 2026, Daily Grand game page — OLG's Daily Grand page
