New Zealand’s newest millionaire has spoken out about his $23.3 million Lotto Powerball win over the weekend, saying he spent the following evening “out there with the planets”.
The New Plymouth man said he was initially oblivious to
Lotto: New Plymouth’s $23m Powerball winner claims Christmas windfall
NZ Herald
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“I looked and it said, ‘Division One winner’ – I was absolutely lost for words!”
He bought his ticket at Woolworths Spotswood in New Plymouth. He won $23m from Powerball and $333,333 from Lotto First Division.
He is a regular player of the Lotto and bought his ticket while doing his grocery shopping.
The man handed his ticket over to the Lotto operator who checked it through the machine.
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“I couldn’t work it out for a second – she had a stunned look on her face and couldn’t talk, she just tapped the screen.
“I looked and it said, ‘Division One winner’ – I was absolutely lost for words.”
After filling in the paperwork, the man went home to try to digest the news.
“It took a lot of time to try to get my head around things, it felt so surreal – it still feels surreal.”
A spokesman for Lotto NZ said the man filled out his paperwork and went home to try and digest his windfall.
“It took a lot of time to try to get my head around things, it felt so surreal – it still feels surreal.”
He told Lotto NZ he would like to use his new millions to help his family.
His win made him the 20th Powerball First Divison winner of the year and the fourth-largest prizewinner from a single ticket.
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