Port Dover woman wins lottery — for the third time

Lady Luck has taken a shine to Elaine Thompson.

The Port Dover woman recently won $100,000 through the Instant Crossword Tripler scratch card, a feat made all the more impressive because it was Thompson's third time winning the lottery in the past decade.

I won $100,000 on Crossword in 2013 and nine years ago I won $100,000 on Encore in a group with two other coworkers," said a baffled Thompson, who bought her latest winning ticket for $5 at the Pioneer gas station in Port Dover.

I was stunned more than anything else - I had to scan it a second time because it didn't really register," she said.

Thompson, 68, said she and her husband, Terrance, 71, regularly play the lottery. Despite her recent three-peat, she said taking home a big cash prize remains thrilling.

There's even more of a sense of disbelief when you win for a third time," Thompson said.

The couple plans to use their unexpected windfall on a big trip once pandemic restrictions are lifted, with their granddaughter already pushing for Hawaii.

We haven't done a family vacation in a while," Thompson said. It will be a real highlight for all of us."

J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.