Five Porirua Residents Collect Big Lottery Payouts

Media Release 14 September 2007

Five Porirua Residents Collect Big Lottery Payouts

If you notice a few smiling faces around the streets of Porirua this week, you may have spotted yourself one of last weekend’s lucky Lotto winners, says Chief Executive, Todd McLeay.

Three of the weekend’s top prizes, including two Lotto First Division prizes worth $500,000 and a Strike Four prize worth $269,158, went to players who purchased their tickets from Lotto outlets in Porirua.

A third top prize was purchased in Rotorua by Porirua residents.

One of the lucky Porirua residents was down at the Lotteries Commission to claim his $500,000 First Division prize, purchased at Waitangirua Four Square in Porirua, early this week.

The lucky winner was brought in by the store owner, who both sold him the winning ticket and told him the winning news.

“I went into the shop to pick-up some things and he said to me ‘You should check your ticket, we sold a big one on Saturday.’ When he told me it was mine I just couldn’t believe it.”

Two other Lotto First Division prizes were also won in Saturday’s draw, one purchased at New World in Carterton, the other at Pak N Save in Rotorua.

The Rotorua ticket holders collected their $500,000 prize this week, and by some strange stroke of coincidence, were also Porirua residents.

“We were up in Rotorua for a work conference last week and purchased our Lotto tickets when we were there,” said the lucky winners.

“It wouldn’t have mattered where I purchased it though, I’ve been taking the same numbers for 20 years – it was my weekend to win!”

Another Porirua couple also made it into the Lotteries’ office, much to their surprise, to collect the $250,000 prize they won on Lotto’s 20th Birthday promotion, drawn nearly three weeks ago.

The couple were over the moon with their win and couldn’t contain both their shock and excitement.

“We’re just an everyday, hardworking couple, trying to start fresh,” said one of the winners, who was brought to tears when she saw her winning cheque.

“I just can’t believe it. When they told me in-store that I had won I was so excited I ran out to the car to tell my partner and left the ticket just sitting there on the counter,” said the mother of two.

The $269,158 Strike Four prize, purchased at New World in Porirua, has also been claimed by a local resident.

However two Lotto players don’t even know they are big winners yet, with the North City Lotto Porirua and New World Carterton tickets yet to be claimed.

“The banks in Porirua would have had a busy week this week, with over $1.5 Million in top prizes paid out to local residents – and another $500,000 yet to be claimed,” said Mr McLeay.

“Anybody who purchased their ticket in the area should check it immediately – it could be their lucky day.”

ENDS

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