Media Release 20 March 2012

$500,000 Home-made Lotto Dinner

They say it’s the simple things in life that make us happy, and that certainly rings true with one lucky Palmerston North family, who celebrated their $500,000 Lotto First Division windfall with home-made Spaghetti Bolognaise and Goody Goody Gum Drops ice cream.

“I was too excited and stressed to cook dinner after we found out we had won. So my12-year-old daughter decided she would whip up dinner for the family,” said the excited mother.

“She took my husband down to the supermarket with her list and they picked up all the ingredients for our celebratory dinner.”

The family, who wish to remain anonymous, are most excited about the prospect of owning their first home.

“We’ve struggled to get our own place. It still hasn’t sunk in that we can actually afford something now, without having to borrow from the bank,” the mother added.

The family purchased their winning ticket on a spur of the moment from Take Note Waikanae, whilst visiting a family member.

“We only buy tickets occasionally and when we stopped to pick up some dinner, I thought I might get us a Lotto ticket as well.”

“On Saturday night I was sitting on the couch, watching the Lotto draw and was writing down the numbers. When I suddenly realised that I had all the numbers on one line.

“I called out to my husband and kids that we had won Lotto and no-one really believed me!

“My husband said ‘rubbish’, and my teenage son told me to double-check it at the outlet before I got too excited,” laughed the Palmerston North woman.

After a nervous check at their local Lotto outlet confirmed they were winners, the couple drove to the Lotteries Commission office in Wellington.

“I kept the ticket safe in my handbag the whole way down.”

Although first priority is for a home of their own, the family are excited to also buy a few treats.

“Our kids are amazing and never ask for anything. However, my daughter has pointed out a nice chandelier to go into her new room and I suspect our teenage son will want an Apple product of some kind,” said the father of the family.

“But we are going to be really sensible about this win – it’s opened up so many possibilities for us and our future.”

ENDS

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