Fort Erie retiree wins $250,000 top prize in Instant Crossword Deluxe

Brent Jones
November 1, 2024 at 9:06 PM

A Fort Erie man won $250,000 playing Instant Crossword Deluxe, according to a Friday news release from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).

Freddie Giosi. Credit: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation

Freddie Giosi, a retiree, said he initially suspected he might have won when he played the $10 scratch ticket at home. To confirm, he took the ticket to a nearby store, where his win was validated.

“When it was confirmed that I had won a top prize, I was in disbelief,” Giosi said in the OLG release.

This win is Giosi’s first major prize, although he has experienced smaller wins with instant lottery tickets in the past.

“My wife didn’t believe me until I showed her the validation slip from the store,” he added.

Giosi plans to use his winnings to pay bills and take a cruise.

The winning ticket was purchased at Bertie Convenience on Bertie Street.