Imagine going about your day, completely unaware that a small piece of paper you possess is worth a staggering $50 million. That’s precisely what happened to one South Australian man, whose decision to check his Oz Lotto ticket led to a life-altering discovery.
The man, hailing from the quaint town of Burra, two hours north of Adelaide, decided to check his ticket following Tuesday night’s draw. To his astonishment, he was the lucky, sole winner of division one $50 million prize for the Oz Lotto jackpot.
His initial response upon realising his newfound fortune? A candid and expletive-laden ‘Oh f***!’ capturing the shock and awe one might feel when becoming an overnight multi-millionaire. ‘I didn’t even know the jackpot had been won and there was a winner,’ he said.
His unregistered ticket meant that officials from The Lott, the official home of Australia’s lotteries, couldn’t notify him directly. Instead, they had to wait for him to come forward. This serves as a reminder of the importance of registering lottery tickets, ensuring winners can be promptly contacted and prizes secured.
The win marks South Australia’s second-largest lotto haul this year, following an Adelaide man’s $150 million Powerball jackpot win in May.
The latest winner has yet to make any concrete plans for the tax-free windfall but knows one thing for sure: ‘I’ll treat myself and help my family. I don’t think I’ll work again. I think my workdays are done.’
The excitement wasn’t just felt by the winner. Kelly Bray, the retail manager at Burra Terry White Chemmart Pharmacy where the ticket was purchased, shared in the joy. ‘I can’t stop shaking and I didn’t even win it,’ she exclaimed. ‘It’s incredible. It’s such big news for our pharmacy and for Burra. I’m so stoked for our winner and wish him all the very best with his prize.’
Tuesday’s draw wasn’t just lucky for the division one winner. It also awarded more than $67 million across over 719,000 prizes in divisions two to seven, including 10 division two winners who each took home almost $63,000.
In the past 12 months, Oz Lotto has paid out 16 division one-winning tickets, totalling $323 million. This includes a $90 million jackpot, which was split among three winners from New South Wales.
While the recent winner’s luck is certainly enviable, it’s worth noting that the odds of winning division one in Oz Lotto are one in 62 million. For larger lotteries like Powerball, the odds are even more—at an estimated one in 134 million!
So what can we take away from this tale? First, always check your lottery tickets—you never know when fortune might smile upon you. Second, consider registering your tickets to ensure you don’t miss out on any potential winnings. And finally, dream big—because sometimes those dreams might just come true.
Now, dear readers, we’d love to hear from you. Have you ever had a close call with a lottery win, or perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to claim a prize yourself? Share your stories in the comments below.
I haven’t unfortunately, but then I am not a gambler. But back when we were kids in the 50’s our neighbour won first prize of, I think, 6,000 pounds. He bought a TV and all the neighbourhood kids could go and watch TV each afternoon after school. He also bought a car and put an extension on his home. It was wonderful as he also had Tuberculosis at the time.