$5 million Powerball prize claimed in Christchurch

Stop looking Christchurch – the winner of Lotto Powerball’s $5 million jackpot has claimed their prize.

The winning ticket was bought from Redwood Mini Market in Christchurch for the Lotto draw on Saturday 1 March, but it has taken over a week for the winner to come forward and claim his prize.

The Christchurch resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, read in the local paper last week that the winning ticket had yet to be handed in.

“I thought to myself ‘yeah, it would be good to win Lotto’,” the winner said, “but of course, I didn’t really think it was me.”

Oblivious to his own good fortune, the winner carried on with his regular routine, all the while carrying the little yellow ticket worth $5 million around in his wallet.

“Eventually I popped into the store and thought, ‘I really should check my ticket’. And sure enough, the machine flashed ‘major prize winner’.

“Then the Lotto guy gave me a receipt that said I’d won $5 million – it was an incredible feeling to think that it was all mine.”

The winner has been getting a kick teasing friends with the news of his win.

“I phoned a mate and said ‘what’s the best news I could have?’ and he said ‘You won Lotto?’

“But then of course he didn’t believe me when I said I had!”

Even though it took a little while for him to collect his prize, the winner had no hesitation in deciding how to spend it.

“I haven’t had a car for years and I’ve never owned a house – so those are the first two things I’m going to tick off my list.

“I’d also like to give some money to the Salvation Army and some of the other groups that really helped me out during the earthquake.”

After last week’s wild weather, the sun has come out again in Christchurch and it’s matched by this winner’s sunny outlook.

“I’m just taking it as it comes. I generally don’t get too excited about things – but I’m pretty happy right now!”

The total prize is made up of $4 million from Powerball First Division and $1 million from Lotto First Division.

This is the second major prize to be won in Christchurch in the last six months. In September 2013, a Christchurch resident won a Big Wednesday jackpot of $22.6 million on a ticket bought at Pak N Save Riccarton.

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