Twice-lucky winner tells of stress

Claiming the big one is not the answer to all of life's problems, says the winner of New Zealand Lotto's biggest combined prize. Photo / Natalie Slade

New Zealand's luckiest Lotto winner says winning was extremely stressful and it took a year before she stopped shaking and looking over her shoulder.

The Dunedin woman said she believed in luck "but I can still not understand how I could have won Lotto twice".

In April last year she won a total of $10,845,530, with $9,785,562 from Powerball first division, and $1,059,968 from Lotto first division.

She had previously won a few hundred thousand on Lotto first division, making her the winner of New Zealand's largest combined Lotto prize, New Zealand Lotteries spokeswoman Karen Jones said.

The family remained in Dunedin "working harder than ever" in the same jobs, recently bought land to build a new house, a new bike each, and had upgraded their children's cars.

"Life has changed for us in that we do not have the stress of thinking about doing all the little things that we had to really consider carefully before, such as going out for a meal or to a concert," the anonymous winner said.

She acknowledged the win had changed her as a person, and that she had become more aware of those struggling to make ends meet, those with ill health, and young families in need.

Her advice to anyone winning a large amount of money was to be very careful.

"Research everything."

Initially investing "99 per cent" of her winnings in a 12-month term deposit, she withdrew her funds from a major bank after an abortive interview.

"Another bank wealth manager acted as if the interview was all about him and told me about all the houses he owned and all about his life.

"I asked a staff member at that bank what they thought about the adviser and they gave me the name of a former worker of the adviser to talk to. She would not comment about him but when I asked directly if she would trust him she said no.

"I then closed all my accounts with that bank and no one even asked why. I now have a very competent and helpful investment manager that I have every confidence in."

She still played Lotto and Big Wednesday every week, and "you may think that having such a large amount of money would be the answer to everything ... it's not".

"It is extremely stressful especially when trying to remain anonymous. It took me a year to stop shaking and looking over my shoulder."

Ms Jones says New Zealand Lotteries do not keep a record of how many people have won Lotto twice, but earlier this week a Martinborough winner claimed $1.46 million, after winning $250,000 in first division 12 years earlier.

She said New Zealand Lotteries was not a registered financial adviser and could not provide financial or legal advice to winners but it did provide winners with a comprehensive advice book on the financial and emotional aspects of winning a large prize.

The largest prize won by a single ticket was $36,890,255, in a Big Wednesday draw on June 24, 2009, and went to a Masterton family syndicate.

- Otago Daily Times