North Shore Family Have 30 Million Reasons To Celebrate After Claiming Second Largest Prize This Year

Cheering and chants of “30 million, 30 million,” erupted from Lotto NZ’s winner’s room yesterday as a North Shore family gathered to celebrate an epic $30.2 million prize.

The purchaser of the winning Powerball ticket brought some his children with him to Lotto HQ as he claimed the seventh-equal largest prize in Lotto NZ history.

“I still can’t believe this is actually real,” said one of the man’s daughters. “It feels like someone’s going to pop their head in at any moment and tell us it’s all a big joke,” she laughed.

The man is a regular player who picked up his usual ticket at the Albany Central Superette four weeks’ ago.

“I drive past other stores to go there and buy my tickets – they are lovely people and we’ve built up a nice relationship, so I wanted to support them,” said the man.

Not usually one for checking his tickets regularly, he stashed it in the top of his wardrobe at home.

“I actually texted Dad the day after the draw when I saw a prize had been won at the store and asked if it was him. He replied with ‘nope, not me unfortunately!’” said another of his daughters.

As time went on and the prize remained unclaimed the man had an inkling it might be him.

“After a week, I heard the prize still wasn’t claimed so I started to think it could be me, and then when it still hadn’t been claimed after another week, I was maybe 70% sure I had the winning ticket.”

That’s when the man finally checked.

“I pulled out my phone and checked it. It flashed up ‘major prize winner’.”

The man visited the store to find out the magnitude of the win.

“I said to the woman in the store, ‘I think you better check this for me,’ and that’s when the music played. She burst into tears, she was so happy for me.”

Overwhelmed, the man went home to process the news, before sharing it with his family.

One person he hadn’t managed to share the good news with was his mum, but luckily while the family were celebrating in Lotto NZ’s winner’s room, she video called him.

“I’m at the Lotto office Mum,” the man said, as his family gathered behind him to see her reaction. “I’ve won some money… I’ve won $30 million.”

The room erupted with cheers and laughter once again as the winner’s Mum gasped in disbelief.

Thinking to the future, the most important thing for the man is that his family are looked after.

“I’m just so happy for my family – all I could have asked for is that they are looked after, and now I know they will be. My kids and my grandkids will be comfortable.”

And once his family are sorted, the man has a few toys on his wish list.

“I need a new car, I’d also like to get a motorbike and a ride-on lawnmower… oh and maybe even a boat in the future.”

Notes:

• The winning $30.2 million Powerball ticket was sold at Albany Central Superette for the draw on Wednesday 23 October.
• The prize is made up of $30 million from Powerball First Division and $200,000 from Lotto First Division.
• This is the seventeenth Powerball winner, and the second largest prize won by a single ticket this year so far.
• This win is the seventh equal largest Powerball prize in Lotto NZ history.

The family would like to remain anonymous and do not want to provide any further comment at this stage. 
 

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