YOUNG “HOTRODDER” HITS IT BIG WITH $35.3 MILLION LOTTO 6/49 WIN

Jason Rinaldi, part owner of Hitman Hotrods, a company that builds custom cars located in Cambridge, has become Ontario’s latest multi-millionaire after playing family birthday numbers with LOTTO 6/49. He’ll now be shifting gears as he has net a cool $35.3 million from the Oct. 1, 2008 LOTTO 6/49 draw.

“I went into work this morning and checked my numbers on the internet. I gave it a quick look and thought I hadn’t won. Slowly I realized my numbers were matching the ones on the screen. I stared in total disbelief then checked again another three times. I called my family, telling them the fantastic news and of course they didn’t believe me,” Rinaldi told OLG Prize Centre staff in Toronto when he claimed his prize of $35,363,724. “Gosh! I wish I would have known I was going to win, I would have dressed better,” Rinaldi joked. “I’m a single man after all,” he continued to say.

Rinaldi has only been playing these numbers for about one month and was thinking of stopping, but thought he’d give it one last go. A big fan of the movie “Good Will Hunting” he’s been adapting a line from the film for a while telling his business partner: “If you ever come into work one morning and I’m not here, you’ll know I’ve won the lottery.” As it turns out it was today that’s exactly what happened! “When I didn’t show up this morning, he didn’t clue in and I had to call him several times before he believed I was a winner,” added Rinaldi.

Rinaldi is 28 and single – for now! With this windfall he plans on sharing with his family, investing in real estate and traveling. Tomorrow morning, he plans to pick up the keys to his 2009 Black Corvette.

The winning ticket was purchased at Dovercliffe Shopper’s Mart on Dovercliffe Road in Guelph on Monday, September 29, 2008.