Pinay wins lottery in Canada

Casilda Pouk wins big (photo courtesy of slotmachinemakers.com)

Casilda Pouk, 51, won $1.03 million after hitting the jackpot on the Mighty Millionaire nickel slot machine at Fallsview Casino in Niagara on Sunday. She only had $200 to play and spent $5 of the amount to try the lucky slot machine.

“I hit the jackpot. It’s really wow. Now, my husband can have that car he was dreaming of,” said Pouk in an interview.

Pouk, who was from North York, was supposed to play at Casino Rama in Toronto but decided to play in Niagara instead due to inclement weather. She lost some of the money she brought on other machines but got lucky on one slot machine as she got the winning spin only after three hits.

Relatives said that Pouk was a generous provider to her family back in the Philippines, her homeland. They believed that the more than $1 million prize was a reward for her kindness.

“I am very happy. Maybe God helped her to help more of our family when they need it. We are all very happy,” said Pouk’s sister, Maria Espanola.

Aside from sending a part of her winnings to the Philippines, Pouk will also use the money to support the education of her children who are currently in high school.

In 1991, Pouk migrated to Canada and worked as a nanny. After a few years, she took jobs at a convenience store and a grocery chain. Now, Pouk has been working as a cashier on an overnight shift at MacDonald’s. She still planned to continue working at McDonald’s even after becoming a millionaire.

With report from Cyra Moraleda