An Auckland family has emerged as the final winner to claim their share of a staggering $50 million Lotto Powerball prize. The family, who has chosen to remain anonymous, celebrated their victory with a heartwarming family gathering to break the joyful news of their life-changing win of $7.2 million.
Celebrating the Win with Family
Excitement filled the air as the couple shared their thoughts on the win. “It’s all for them – everything has been. It means so much to know that my family will be looked after,” expressed one of the family members. Their newfound fortune opens up opportunities for them, including the ability to complete ongoing home renovations. “They’ve slowly been doing bits on the house, and now they can afford to finish the renovations,” one of their children noted.
Beyond home improvements, the family is also looking forward to fulfilling dreams of travel. “We really want them to do something for themselves though. They’ve been talking about a special overseas trip for a long time and now they can do that; it will be amazing for them,” another family member added.
How They Discovered Their Windfall
The family became multi-millionaires following the June 8 draw but remained unaware of their win for nearly two weeks. “Because we don’t buy tickets all the time, we usually only check our tickets when we remember to – we weren’t in a rush,” the man explained. When he eventually remembered about the ticket, stored safely in his wife’s handbag, he took a moment to scan it using the MyLotto App.
Much to his surprise, the app revealed that they had won a significant prize and instructed them to visit a Lotto store. “I wasn’t sure how much I’d won… but I had a feeling that it was a big amount,” he reflected. They decided to verify their fortune when they headed out for groceries the next day.
The Excitement of Winning
Before starting their shopping, the couple visited the Lotto counter, where the news was finally confirmed: “They told us we had won $7 million – we were so excited!” the man exclaimed, recalling their ecstatic reaction.
This couple’s win follows several other winners who had already claimed their prizes shortly after the mega jackpot was announced. The first winner from Hamilton claimed their prize at Shop Rite Dairy in Maeroa, while a second winner purchased their ticket at New World Hastings. A couple from Hawke’s Bay joined them, winning $7.18 million, and they expressed their astonishment upon learning of their win, describing themselves as “stunned mullets.”
“We’ve often spoken about what we would do if we won Powerball – and here we were doing that for real!” the woman from Hawke’s Bay said, reflecting on the impact of their new financial freedom. “This win is going to be life-changing for us. It means we can retire sooner than we thought, and best of all, it means Nanna and Poppa can spend lots more time with the grandkids,” she added.