Record-Breaking December 50/50 Delivers $7.7M Win!
Published Friday, January 2, 2026
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation has made history. Patrick Chilton of Timmins and Moose Factory is the winner of the Foundation's December draw, taking home a record-breaking $7,720,930 Grand Prize for hospital 50/50s.
On his way for a late breakfast, Chilton answered a call from Glenn Craig, CEO of the Foundation, and was immediately taken by surprise.
“Are you kidding me?” Chilton said, after hearing who was on the other line.
When Craig asked if he knew how much he had won, Chilton replied that the last amount he had seen was just over $6.5 million. When Craig revealed the final total, Chilton asked him to repeat the number.
“I need to write this down,” he said. “I can't believe it. I've always supported the Foundation and other hospitals. I worked in health care for a long time.”
Over the course of his career, Chilton held several roles in the health care industry, including time with Weeneebayko Area Health Authority in the James Bay region and working in Sioux Lookout in Northwestern Ontario.
Before receiving the call, Chilton and his wife had been talking about taking a vacation. After hearing the news, those plans quickly became more concrete.
“I guess we're going on a vacation,” he said, with Mexico already part of the conversation.
For Craig, making the monthly winner call is always something he looks forward to, but calling someone to tell them they've won $7,720,930 is something else entirely, knowing the person on the other end of the line is about to have their life changed forever.
“I could barely sleep knowing the amount that was going to be won,” said Craig. “I kept wondering who it was going to be and what their story is. The minutes leading up to making the actual call are even more nerve-racking, but in the best way.”
The December draw builds on last year's win by Natalie and Clem Bigras of Hanmer, Ontario, who took home $6,436,355.
To date, the Thunder Bay 50/50 has created 11 multi-millionaire winners, with more than $90 million in prizes awarded to players across Ontario.
Photo Caption – Patrick Chilton pictured with his wife, Audrey, winner of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation's record-breaking December 50/50 draw worth $7,720,930.
Video Caption – He just WON $7,720,930 in the RECORD-BREAKING December Thunder Bay 50/50!
