$50 Thunder Bay 50/50 Ticket Turns Into a $2.78 Million Win

Lola Bridges of Etobicoke is taking home an incredible $2,784,817 as the Thunder Bay 50/50 August Dog Days of Summer Grand Prize winner, the largest Grand Prize ever awarded outside of the last three December holiday draws and surpassing last month’s $2,772,840 win.

And it turns out the Dog Days of Summer theme couldn’t have been more fitting for this month’s winner. “You have no idea what a dog person I am too,” said Bridges. A former dog groomer, she has a white miniature poodle that currently sports a pink Mohawk.

Bridges just happened to be on a break from work with her partner, Ram, when they received the life-changing call from Health Sciences Foundation President Glenn Craig.

“There are no words to describe how incredibly grateful I am right now,” said Bridges.

After giving her a minute or two to let the news sink in, Craig asked the big question: what are you going to do with $2.7 million?

“There could be a house in my future. That’s a good investment for my money,” she said. Bridges bought a $50.00 ticket.

The Dog Days of Summer draw also included a special way to give back, with ticket purchasers invited to add a $2 donation in support of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Northwest Animal Centre. The final total will be announced next week.

To date, over $109 million in prizes have been awarded to players across Ontario, while proceeds from every ticket sold support essential equipment at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

September’s draw is now open! Here’s what’s happening:

There’s something brand new for September! Two Buck Chuck is a $2 raffle that can be added to your Thunder Bay 50/50 ticket purchase or played on its own. No packages, no bundles and no minimum purchase — one ticket is just $2.

Five winners will be drawn at 9:00 a.m. on the morning of the Thunder Bay 50/50 Grand Prize draw, with each winner receiving 10 per cent of total Two Buck Chuck ticket sales. The more tickets sold, the more each of the five winners can take home.

Half of the proceeds will go to the five winners, with the remaining proceeds supporting patient care in Northwestern Ontario.

Learn more and get your Two Buck Chuck tickets at tbay5050draw.ca/pages/twobuckchuck.

** Tickets must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, September, 24, 2026 to be eligible for the Grand Prize draw on Friday, September 25 at 11:00 a.m.