A Tauranga resident is celebrating a life-changing victory after winning $1 million in the Lotto First Division on Saturday. In a statement released by Lotto NZ, the fortunate winner expressed her whirlwind of emotions following her unexpected fortune.
Mother’s Day Promotion Delight
Choosing to remain anonymous, the winning woman decided to participate in a special Mother’s Day promotion by opting for a Triple Dip ticket. Her initial intention was to snag one of the 75 extra prizes of $10,000. “Sometimes I play my own numbers, sometimes a Triple Dip, but this time I wanted to be in with a chance to win one of the Mother’s Day prizes — I never thought I’d actually win a million,” she remarked.
Checking the Ticket: A Moment of Anticipation
To ensure she didn’t miss the excitement, she took a screenshot of her ticket to watch the live draw while checking her numbers. “I’m normally in bed by the time you can check your tickets on MyLotto, so I always take a screenshot and check it while watching the live draw,” she explained.
Upon seeing the results, she initially assumed her prize might be shared among multiple winners. “I told myself that a few people had won and that I’d maybe won $300k … which would still obviously have been amazing,” she said. However, her excitement skyrocketed when she discovered she was the sole winner. “When I saw I was the only winner, I went into shock. A million dollars is just incredible … it’s life-changing for me,” she added.
A Rollercoaster of Emotions
Since her monumental win, the emotions have been a rollercoaster. “One minute it feels quite overwhelming, and I have a thousand things running through my mind, and the next I feel an immense sense of relief and am really excited for my future,” she shared.
Planning for the Future
Toasting to her new fortune, she enjoyed a glass of bubbles while contemplating her next steps. “I want to ensure I am set up for the future, and once that is sorted, I hope to be able to help some of the people closest to me,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, excitement mounts for tonight’s Powerball jackpot, which stands at an impressive $26 million. If won by a single individual, it will mark the largest Powerball prize awarded since August.