Barber And Client Win Lottery After Over Thirty Years Of Gambling

In Ottawa, a great story has emerged in perseverance when dealing with gambling on the lottery. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. keep trying, in fact, until you get lucky enough to win your share of $32 million.

That is the story that two men from Ottawa have written. A barber, Mike Detorre, and his friend and client, Samir Haddad, have been playing the lottery together since it began back in the early 1970's.

Last week, their perseverance paid off after they held the winning ticket for the $32 million lottery drawing. The two men were ecstatic to finally break through and win the money.

Most of the time the pair split the cost of the tickets, but last week Haddad did not have change for a tip after a haircut, and told Detorre that he would pick up the tickets in exchange for the tip.

"I told Mike that day, I'll splurge, I'll buy it with the Encore," said Haddad. The two were giving each other flack about never having the winning ticket until last week. "I went to Mike and I gave him heck. I said, 'When are you ever going to call me to say we've won something?' He said, 'It's when you buy the winning ticket.'"

Both men claim that they will share their half of the money with their families. Haddad had to make sure he got paid for the ticket before giving up half of the money. "He gave me $1.50 and I told him, 'Here, you can have $16 million.'"



2008-07-08