It was an extra busy day Thursday at the O Nosso Talho butcher shop in downtown Toronto.

Joe Lima said he handed out 10-pound bags of chicken legs to hundreds of people throughout the day.
(CBC)

Hundreds of people lined up all day along Bloor Street West to get some of the free chicken Jose Lima was giving away.

Lima said he was handing out 22,680 kilograms of chicken legs to celebrate the $14.5 million he won last week in Lotto 6-49 and chose the day to mark the fifth anniversary of his father's death.

The giveaway also fulfilled a promise he made to himself when he started playing the lottery: "I asked God one day if I win 6-49, I'd bring the whole of Toronto chicken legs.

"This is the biggest day of my life," he added.

Lima said he handed out the free 10-pound bags of chicken legs to about 500 people every hour.

He also gave $5,000 cheque to each of the store's employees.

Worker Jane Sousa said her boss hasn't changed since learning of his lottery win.

"He'll be the same Joe from the meat store for years and years and years to come," she said, grinning. "He hasn't changed a bit now. If anything, he's happier. That's all."

The 52-year-old father of two said the big win won't change his life too much. 

But one thing will change: he plans to cut his seven-day work week to three or four days.