Mangawhai man wins $1m Lotto prize, plans new car purchase

The man had no idea he won Lotto Strike. Photo / NZME

A Mangawhai man says he let out some colourful language after finding out he had become an overnight millionaire.

The man, who did not want to be named, won Strike Four during Lotto’s Saturday night draw.

“I won’t tell you what I said when she told me I’d won $1 million — I was shocked, and some of the words shouldn’t be repeated.”

The man went to sleep, not realising he had won despite watching the draw and jotting down the numbers.

“It wasn’t until the next day, when a woman told me that the Four Square had sold a big winning ticket, that I remembered I hadn’t checked mine.”

The man placed his ticket under the ticket checker before handing it to the Lotto operator.

“I said to her, ‘I think this might be a winner,’ so she put it through the machine, and she had a great big smile on her face and told me I’d won $1 million.”

He was shocked.

“I always buy my tickets at the Four Square — and I always tell them I only want the winning numbers. It’s a bit of a running joke.

“But when I bought Saturday’s ticket, it wasn’t the usual person who serves me, so I didn’t say it.”

The man celebrated by going for dinner with friends.

“I’m still trying to take it all in — it’s unbelievable, really.

“My first purchase will be a new car, but other than that, I’m going to get some advice to make this money last as long as I can,” he said.