A hardworking man from New South Wales' Central Coast has won the $30 million Oz Lotto jackpot in Tuesday night's draw 1689, turning a routine bedtime check into a life-changing moment.
The Erina resident, who described himself as “absolutely knackered,” decided to check his ticket just before getting into bed. When he saw the winning numbers, he was stunned. “Just as I was going to bed I checked my ticket. That’s when I saw all the yellow numbers. They looked like tennis balls and I thought, ‘Hang on’,” the winner told The Lott.
He quickly called his family to verify the result, and the household erupted in excitement. “I got the family to check and we just went crazy. We were all running around the house like mad people and the dog was going off. It was hilarious,” he recalled.
Unexpected Solo Win
The winner initially did not realise he was the only division one winner. “It also took me another 20 minutes to realise I’m not sharing the prize. I won the whole thing,” he said. “I’m that bloke that beat the odds.”
The long-time Oz Lotto player had tried a new strategy for this draw. Instead of his usual QuickPick, he selected all his own numbers for the first time. “I’ve been playing Oz Lotto for ages, but the crazy thing is that this was the first time I selected all my own numbers. Usually, I do a QuickPick. It’s a bit freaky. I’m quite proud of myself for choosing them,” he said.
Life After the Win
The excitement led to a sleepless night for the Erina man, who was back at work on Wednesday morning despite the life-changing win. When he received his official call from The Lott, he described his state as “still numb” and said he had only just begun to consider how to spend the $30 million prize.
“We’ll definitely pay off the mortgage,” he told The Lott. “I’ll take time to think about what else. We want to be wise with it.” He added, “You’ve made my whole life.”
The win marks the first time the Central Coast has produced an Oz Lotto jackpot winner this year, and the lucky punter is now one of the biggest lottery winners in New South Wales for 2024.
