Kitchener Woman Wins $250,000 in Ontario's Instant Bingo Lottery

Decades of lottery tickets finally paid off for Zahida Al-Dabbagh. Her $250,000 win will transform her family's future—and it all started at a local smoke shop.

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2026 March 22 . 7:04 PM

1 min read

The image shows a group of four women standing next to each other, each holding a bouquet of... — The image shows a group of four women standing next to each other, each holding a bouquet of flowers. In the background, there is a banner with the words "Yoyogi International Women's Day" written on it, indicating that the women are celebrating their success at the event.

Kitchener Woman Wins $250,000 in Ontario's Instant Bingo Lottery

A 68-year-old woman from Kitchener has won a life-changing prize in Ontario's lottery. Zahida Al-Dabbagh secured $250,000 playing OLG's Instant Bingo Multiplier. She bought the winning ticket at a local shop in her neighbourhood.

Al-Dabbagh moved to Canada in 1990 and started playing the lottery soon after. For years, she played without major success—until now. This win marks her first significant lottery prize.

Her winning ticket came from Ted's Smokes on Ottawa Street North in Kitchener. The shop has become the lucky spot for her unexpected fortune. Al-Dabbagh plans to use the money to support her family. Over the past five years, Ontario has seen a handful of big wins with the same game. In June 2023, a Toronto player took home $250,000. Then, in November 2024, an Ottawa resident won $320,000. These prizes add to the growing list of Instant Bingo Multiplier successes across the province.

Al-Dabbagh's win adds to the recent streak of large payouts in Ontario. The $250,000 prize will go toward helping her relatives. Her story joins those of other players who have struck it lucky with the same game in recent years.