Fiona and husband Quentin say winning $250,000 came as more than a nice surprise. Photo / Supplied
Fiona and husband Quentin say winning $250,000 came as more than a nice surprise. Photo / Supplied
Flowers are nice, cards a sweet gesture but one Napier woman celebrated Mother's Day with a big boost to her bank balance.
Winning $250,000 came "at the right time" for mum of two Fiona, who spun the Winning Wheel on Saturday's live Lotto draw.
Her children Emma, 23, and Luke,20, are both studying in Wellington and travelled to Auckland at the weekend to be by her side for Mother's Day.
The initial shock had not yet worn off and she was still totally overwhelmed at her first big win in 28 years of playing. She buys a Lotto ticket weekly, but never expected to win.
"I was almost screaming, but I held back - it was just more than we expected," she told Hawke's Bay Today. "You always sort of hope but you never think you will - sitting at home we just love watching people's reactions."
It was a family tradition when the children were small to sit down, watch Lotto and "have a bit of a laugh".
The entire stay in Auckland was a highlight for hard-working Fiona and husband Quentin, who were put up in the Sofitel Hotel, whisked away on a shopping spree and given the full star treatment. With both now working part time - she works in the office at Butler and Hewitt, Napier, and he is a TV technician in Hastings - some extra money in the bank means being able to take a deep breath.
"We are just going to put it in an account and think about it. It really takes the pressure off, knowing we can support the kids - they are both at uni so to know we can help them is wonderful."
While a holiday and home renovations could be on the cards, extra cash flow for bills was a relief short term.
It was an extra special show, with guest presenter Judy Bailey in the studio to draw the winning Powerball number at the weekend. Every ticket purchased goes into the draw to spin Lotto's Winning Wheel.
The win is half what an anonymous Hastings man picked up after winning his share of a first division pool last Saturday - and continues the region's winning streak.
Already more than $2.7 million has been won this year in Hawke's Bay, with 100,000 people taking home their share.
Countdown in Napier is the luckiest little Lotto shop locally, with a total of 16 first division wins sold there, followed by nine at Raureka Lotto and Superette.
