THUNDER BAY – A miner from Northern Ontario has hit the jackpot in more ways than one.
Robert Precious had just wrapped up an underground shift at Agnico Eagle’s Macassa gold mine in Kirkland Lake late Friday afternoon when he found out he won the June Thunder Bay 50/50 grand prize – a record-setting $2,529,382.
New Liskeard Family’s Life Changes
Precious, a dad of four from New Liskeard, was hesitant at first about replying to a text from an unknown number.
The message was actually from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
“I’m going to be sick,” Precious told Foundation CEO Glenn Craig after realizing he had the winning ticket.
He still had an hour-long drive home before sharing the news with his family. The timing made it even better, arriving just as summer break for school was starting.
The winning ticket number was R-718589506.
Thunder Bay 50/50 Exceeds $104M in Prizes
The Thunder Bay 50/50 has now given away over $104 million in prizes to players all across Ontario.
The funds raised from ticket sales go towards important equipment at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, helping patients receive care closer to where they live.
This lottery has become a vital fundraiser for healthcare in the region, drawing participants from all over Ontario while addressing hospital equipment needs in Northwestern Ontario’s largest acute care facility.
July Draw is Open
The July Thunder Bay 50/50 draw is now live.
This month’s draw features $159,000 in total early bird prizes, bonus numbers returning on the $20 and $100 ticket packages, and a $59,000 draw on July 29.
You must buy tickets by 11:59 p. m. ET on Thursday, July 30, 2026, to qualify for the grand prize draw happening on Friday, July 31, at 11 a. m.
Affecting the Region
The Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario areas continue to link provincewide lottery involvement with local healthcare funding through this initiative.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre caters to patients from all around Northwest Ontario including smaller communities and remote First Nations as well as regional hubs for mining, forestry and transportation. Fundraising related to hospital equipment can lessen the need for patients having to travel outside their area for medical care.
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