Toronto man claims $18 million jackpot

March 21, 2007

Luckyrajah Paramanatha, known by his nickname "Lucky", claimed his $18 million Lotto 649 jackpot Tuesday.

The previously purchased free play lottery ticket was bought at the Sunny Convenience Store on Eglinton Avenue East in Scarborough, Ontario (a suburb of Toronto). He checked them on March 19, the official draw date.

"I'm so happy," Paramanathan said. "I can't stop smiling...I started screaming. I never imagined I would win this much. I'm still shocked and overwhelmed."

Paramanatha, 43, who lives in Scarborough, moved to Canada seven years ago and is a maintenance worker at a Toronto apartment building and cleans city swimming pools. He earns $48,000 a year from both jobs. Paramanatha said that he has been playing the lottery ever since he moved to get his wife and two sons, aged 7 and 10, from Sri Lanka to move to Canada.

"This win will allow me to bring my wife and two sons to Canada to start a new life," he said.

He currently lives in an apartment building with his friend but plans later to buy a house with his family.