A young Christchurch couple are coming to terms with a life-changing moment after winning a staggering $20.25 million in Saturday’s Powerball draw – Lotto NZ’s thirteenth multi-millionaires of the year.
The life-changing prize, which included $20 million from Powerball and $250,000 from Lotto First Division, was won with a ticket purchased on MyLotto for the August 9 draw.
The couple, who wanted to remain anonymous, were regular players who tended to pick up a ticket when the jackpot was over $10 million.
They discovered their win on Sunday morning when the man received an email from MyLotto — a notification sent for prizes of more than $1000.
“It stopped me in my tracks,” he said. “I thought, ‘this could be interesting’.”
After watching the draw together on his phone, the couple realised they had matched all the numbers, including the Powerball.
“I was in complete disbelief, I kept questioning whether it was real,” said the woman.
The man said: “I think my first words were, ‘I think I’ve just changed our lives’.”
The pair celebrated quietly at home with a glass of bubbles and then video-called their parents to share the news. “They were all in shock,” the man said.
The woman admitted she couldn’t sleep and asked her husband to recheck the ticket at 3am.
“I think seeing the money in our account will be a massive shock – it still doesn’t really feel real at the moment.”
While the pair were still processing the win, the couple planned to take some time before making any major decisions.
However, immediate goals included paying off their mortgage, possibly buying a new car, and renewing their passports.
Saturday’s jackpot was the third time this year that Powerball has reached $20 million.
