At 75, retired factory worker Lucia Figliuzzi's life changed when she won a million dollars in the lottery.

Figliuzzi had occasionally tried her luck with lottery games in the past, but a big blessing awaited her when she bought a ticket at a Circle K location in her neighbourhood of Maple, Ontario.

A Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball draw on July 5 made Figliuzzi a millionaire.

"When I saw that my ticket had the million-dollar numbers on it, I started shaking," Figliuzzi recounted. "I was shocked and couldn't believe it was happening to me!"

The grandmother was at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up her prize money, where she revealed what happened the moment she realized she'd become a millionaire.

Figliuzzi waited to tell her son as he wasn't in town, and she wanted to see his reaction, but she immediately called her daughter to share the good news.

"Neither of my kids believed me at first — they had to see the ticket to believe it was real," the winner said. "When I showed them, they were overjoyed! My family said that if anyone deserves this win, it's me."

The hefty cheque has Figliuzzi excited for the future, especially now that she has retired. She's planning to travel to Mexico for her birthday but will also share her windfall with her family.

"I'm happy to help my children and grandchildren. I look forward to the comfort this will provide. We've held off on celebrating so far, but I can't wait," said the happy winner.

"To be honest, I'm overwhelmed and still trying to process this win!"