Winning a lottery prize in Ontario can be life-changing, but forget one crucial detail, and you might find yourself stuck in a maddening process that'll make your dreams of being a millionaire slip further and further away. 

According to a new report by CTV News Toronto, Markham resident Rirong Zhou purchased a Lotto 6/49 ticket back in April 2023 and only discovered months later that he had won.

When Zhou contacted the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) in October of that year, he was confronted with one specific issue — he did not remember where he purchased his winning ticket, making it more difficult for him to claim his prize of $1,186. 

The Markham resident told CTV News that he emailed and called the corporation repeatedly after he did not receive a cheque within six to eight weeks, which is typically the time it takes OLG to send money to players who win over $1,000. 

According to its website, OLG's goal is to "ensure that the right prize is paid to the right person(s) everytime," meaning forgetting where you purchased your ticket could be problematic when claiming your prize. 

A spokesperson for the corporation told CTV News that as part of the standard prize claim review process, winners are asked several questions to validate their ticket ownership, including where and when they purchased their ticket. 

If these answers are not provided, the claim then undergoes further review, which extends the time a winner must wait in order to receive their prize. 

Despite this critical error, it looks like Zhou got lucky for a second time. After CTV's report, he was informed that his cheque had been processed and will be sent to him by OLG. 

If you're purchasing lottery tickets anytime soon, make sure to keep your receipt to avoid the hassle of proving your claim.