An Ontario lottery winner says he worked hard to keep his huge win under wraps while planning a big reveal at a recent family gathering.

Paul Cousineau, 51, of Orillia, found out he won the $5 million Lotto 6/49 jackpot nearly a month after the March 19 draw.

Cousineau explained that he didn’t check his tickets immediately after the draw. “I waited about four weeks. By then, I had over 20 tickets to check,” he said while picking up his winnings at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) in Toronto.

When he finally went to the store to validate his ticket, he says the lottery terminal froze.

“I remained calm and carried on with my day, only telling my cousin about my win. I even made them take an oath of silence!” Paul said with a laugh.

Cousineau, an administrative professional in

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