Margaret Lloyd works at the Regent New World counter where a lucky punter bought the winning $1m Lotto ticket. Photo / Imran Ali
Margaret Lloyd works at the Regent New World counter where a lucky punter bought the winning $1m Lotto ticket. Photo / Imran Ali
A Northlander could be holding on to a winning $1 million First Divison Lotto ticket after it was sold by a supermarket in Whangārei.
The winning ticket, drawn on Saturday night but yet to be claimed, was bought at Regent New World, which last month sold a winning $50,000 GoldenKiwi scratchie to a woman grocery shopper.
Supermarket owner and former All Black Eric Rush was unaware of the $1m win when contacted yesterday morning but said it would be good if the lucky punter was a Northlander.
"It's a big win all right. The only other time someone won big with a supermarket I worked for was $16m or $17m at Manukau Pak'n Save many years ago. It was quite funny because everyone turned up for work not knowing about the big win."
The winning Lotto numbers from Saturday's draw were 2, 5, 17, 31, 33, and 37 with Bonus number 40 and Powerball 5.
Margaret Lloyd has been selling Lotto tickets at Regent New World for seven years and said it was the highest amount someone won from the supermarket.
"That's great. It gives our customers the thrill. I hope the winner is a local but we may never know because they can claim their prize at any Lotto outlet in New Zealand."
A customer yesterday, Eleanor Metu, quipped: "I wish it's me" before checking her Lotto ticket.
"I hope it's someone who hasn't got anything, someone who needs it rather than somebody who's well-settled in life," Metu said.
Eleanor Metu checks her Lotto ticket at New World in Regent, which sold the winning $1m First Division Lotto ticket. Photo / Imran Ali
Metu has been playing Lotto and scratchies for nearly 40 years and has won various amounts under $100.
If she won big in Lotto, Metu said, she would pay her bills, give some money to her children and go on a holiday.
Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai said she wasn't the lucky punter because she bought her Lotto ticket from elsewhere.
"It could be anybody and we may never know who won, but regardless of where that person comes from, Whangārei gets a mention which is great," Mai said.
"Depending on the desire of the person who has all of a sudden become an overnight millionaire, I hope they have some philanthropy work in their bones. That would be fantastic."
Mai said it would be great if the winner was a local as the huge prize money would likely be spent locally.
Powerball was not struck and has rolled over to Wednesday night, when the jackpot will be $10m.
Saturday's $1m Lotto win was the second in Northland this year after a ticket sold at Onerahi Bookshop & Lotto in April netted the big prize money.
The largest win in Northland so far this year was the $5.5m Lotto and Powerball ticket sold at Taipā Foodmarket for the May 1 draw. That huge prize was won by a local.
