Big Wednesday Player's $3.5 Million Win

Big Wednesday Player's $3.5 Million Win Turns Him Black and Blue

A lucky Big Wednesday player who won a total prize of $3.5 million on last Wednesday's draw, keeps pinching himself to make sure he really is the winner and that he isn't dreaming, says NZ Lotteries' Chief Executive, Todd McLeay.

"I just can't believe that I won, this is so exciting, I keep pinching myself to make sure it's all real," he says.

Big Wednesday's latest multi-millionaire wasn't aware that he was walking around with $3.5 million in his back pocket until several days after the draw, "I jumped on line to check the results late on Saturday night, when I realised it was me that had won, I was suddenly wide awake, I didn't get to sleep till about 3am the next morning," he said.

The total prize on offer that week was $2 million in cash, an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, an Audi Q7, a $250,000 AMEX Platinum card, $250,000 worth of luxury travel, a Rayglass legend 2500 boat and a $500,000 luxury holiday home.

The winner, who is a regular Big Wednesday player, lives in Auckland but was passing through Thames when he stopped off at Courts Take Note to buy his ticket, a stop that has changed his life.

"A win like this does change your life, but not your personality," he said.

"I'm not sure what I will do with the money, I'm going to take a couple of months to really let the win sink in, and to work out what I want," he said.

"I do know that I want to help put the smile that is on my face, on the face of others, and just quietly I have already done that," he said.

This is the second time that Big Wednesday First Division has been won in Thames. The largest Big Wednesday prize to date was $13.1 million and was won on a ticket sold in Thames in February last year.

ENDS

© Scoop Media