A $1 million winning Lotto ticket sold in Dargaville has finally been claimed after a man walked around with the ticket in his pocket for a month, unaware of the wealth it held.
But the winner was not from Dargaville, having picked up his ticket while passing through the town.
The winner, who does not want to be named, is from elsewhere in the North Island. He said he bought the Lotto ticket from Dargaville's Countdown supermarket in the week leading up to June 14.
After nearly a month of walking around with the ticket, he finally got it checked this week and was astonished at his new-found riches.
He said despite news of the win causing a buzz in the region, he had no idea he was holding the lucky ticket until he checked a pile of old tickets he had in his wallet.