Jim Hynes wins $2M jackpot on scratch ticket

It's been a lucky year for lottery players in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Jim Hynes, from St. Philip's, is $2 million richer after winning a jackpot prize on a $200 Million$Extraordinaire Scratch 'n Win Ticket.

Hynes said he celebrated his birthday on Sunday and won $60 on a scratch ticket, so he went back and bought three more. One of those three made him a millionaire.

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"Yesterday lunchtime I was at my brother's and I scratched the first two and I said nothing, you know, then I scratched down to the last one and I could see the symbols," said Hynes.

"It said $200,000 and $2 million, then [another] $200,000 and $2 million, and then it said $25 and I said, 'Oh, not cool.'"

You always want to win, but you certainly never expect to win.- Jim Hynes

Hynes said he couldn't quite make out the symbols on the ticket and passed it to his brotherwho told him he had just won $2 million.

"You always want to win, but you certainly never expect to win," he said.

Hynes said he didn't even bother to go in to the store to claim his prize and instead walked right into the ALC building in St. John's and told the receptionist he had a $2-million prize to claim.

His two Belgian shepherds Dali and Faybel will soon be welcoming another dog Nikita into the familyand Hynes said some of his winnings will be used to renovate his pool for the pooches.

The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) presented Hynes with his cheque Tuesday in St. John's, but Hynes said he doesn't have any other big plans for his winnings at this point.

String of big winners

Hynes is the latest in a string of million-dollar winners in this province. This was the fourth major win presentation made in St. John's in 10 days.

This jackpot marks $19,675,000 in major wins in Newfoundland and Labrador in the last six months, according to the ALC.

The winning scratch ticket was sold at the Sobey's on Ropewalk Lane.