Hay River (June 23/03) - A Hay River man has hit it big in Lotto 6-49.

Keith Loutit, a heavy equipment operator with the GNWT's Department of Transportation, won $112,640.80 in a June 14 draw.

Keith Loutit, the lucky winner of $112,640 in a recent 6-49 draw, says he will upgrade his toys, but will be keeping his classic 1983 1,100 cc Honda motorcycle. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

His ticket matched five of the six numbers, plus the bonus number.

"It was an awesome hit," he says.

"It couldn't have come at a better time."

Loutit found out about his win the day after the draw when he stopped into The Rooster convenience store and asked a cashier to check the ticket.

The cashier seemed a bit confused by the reading on the lottery terminal, he recalls.

"The girl said, 'What's this?' Then she took a closer look and said, 'Oh my God, you won!'"

Loutit says he then signed the winning ticket at the store. "I was shaking so bad, I don't know if you can make out my signature."

The winning ticket is now secure in a bank's safety deposit box until Loutit goes to Edmonton in July to claim his prize.

Loutit says he buys $15 worth of tickets each week -- $5 on Super 7 and on each of the two 6-49 draws. He doesn't play favourite numbers, just gets instant pick numbers.

"You can't win if you don't play," he says.

Loutit, 41, will use his winnings to pay off some debts and upgrade all his toys -- a quad, a snowmobile and his pick-up truck.

"I've got nobody to spoil but myself," says Loutit, who describes himself as happily single.

However, he says he will give his mother her dream vacation to Nova Scotia.