Kirkland Lake Miner Wins Record $2.52M Thunder Bay 50/50 Jackpot

THUNDER BAY — A Northern Ontario miner has struck gold in more ways than one.
Robert Precious had just finished an underground shift at Agnico Eagle’s Macassa gold mine in Kirkland Lake late Friday afternoon when he learned he had won the June Thunder Bay 50/50 grand prize — a record-breaking $2,529,382.

Life-changing win for New Liskeard family

Precious, a father of four from New Liskeard, was unsure at first whether to respond to a text message from an unknown number.

The message turned out to be from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
“I’m going to be sick,” Precious told Foundation CEO Glenn Craig after learning he held the winning ticket.

Precious still had a one-hour commute home before he could share the news with his family. The timing made the moment even more memorable, arriving just as the school summer holidays were beginning.

The winning ticket number was R-718589506.

Thunder Bay 50/50 tops $104M in prizes

The Thunder Bay 50/50 has now awarded more than $104 million in prizes to players across Ontario.

Proceeds from ticket sales support essential equipment at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, helping patients access care closer to home.

The lottery has become a major fundraiser for regional health care, drawing participation from across Ontario while supporting hospital equipment needs in Northwestern Ontario’s largest acute care centre.

July draw now open

The July Thunder Bay 50/50 draw is now underway.

This month’s draw includes $159,000 in total early bird prizes, the return of bonus numbers on the $20 and $100 ticket packages, and a $59,000 draw on July 29.

Tickets must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 30, 2026, to be eligible for the grand prize draw on Friday, July 31, at 11 a.m.

Regional impact

For Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, the 50/50 continues to connect provincewide lottery participation with local health-care investment.

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre serves patients from across the Northwest, including smaller communities, remote First Nations and regional mining, forestry and transportation hubs. Fundraising tied to hospital equipment can help reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region for care.