A northern Ontario retiree has once again beaten the odds, adding another prize to a lottery history that already stretches into the millions.
Marcel Leclaire of Sudbury recently won $88,888 playing the Instant Lunar 8s scratch ticket from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). The $5 ticket delivered the top prize after Leclaire matched three identical symbols in one of the game panels.
For most players, a win of this size would be life-changing. For Leclaire, however, it represents his third major lottery victory since 2017.
A Rare Streak of Lottery Success
The Sudbury resident has spent more than four decades playing lottery games in Ontario, and his persistence has produced remarkable results.
His first major windfall arrived in 2017, when he won $1 million through the Encore lottery add-on game. Years later, his luck returned again when he landed an even bigger prize — $3 million in 2025 from the Instant Platinum scratch game.
The latest $88,888 prize brings his total winnings to well over $4 million, placing him among the rare players who have celebrated multiple large lottery victories.
The Lucky Number Behind the Ticket
Leclaire said the inspiration for buying the Instant Lunar 8s ticket came from a personal connection to the number 88.
He is a fan of Boston Bruins star David Pastrňák, whose jersey number is 88. When he noticed the same number featured prominently on the scratch ticket, he decided to try his luck.
The decision quickly turned into another memorable moment.
Leclaire said he checked the ticket while still at the store and realized he had landed the game’s top prize. Even after previous big wins, the moment still felt overwhelming.
He described standing in the shop in complete shock as the reality of the win set in.
Scratch Ticket With Strong Winning Odds
The Instant Lunar 8s game is a $5 instant ticket that contains 12 separate play areas. Players reveal symbols in each game, and matching three identical symbols results in the prize shown for that panel.
The game carries overall odds of winning any prize at approximately 1 in 3.61, making it one of the more accessible instant games offered by OLG.
More details about the game and other lottery options are available through the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s official instant games page.
Plans for the Latest Winnings
The 73-year-old retired taxi driver collected his prize at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto. While the amount is smaller than his previous jackpots, he says the win still means a great deal.
Leclaire plans to use the money toward purchasing a new home and filling it with new furniture. He also intends to set aside part of the prize as savings for the future.
The winning ticket was purchased at Donovan Variety on Kathleen Street in Greater Sudbury, according to OLG officials.
Despite his extraordinary luck, Leclaire remains humble about the streak that has now produced three major lottery wins in less than a decade.
Even after millions in prizes, he says the excitement of discovering another winning ticket still feels exactly the same as it did the first time.
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