A group of 55 women from a small, ladies-only gym in Beldon, a northern suburb of Perth, has won Western Australia's largest-ever division one lottery prize. The syndicate claimed the $80 million Powerball jackpot on Thursday night, with each member set to receive approximately $1.45 million.
One of the winners, now nicknamed 'Lucky Lorna', told ABC Radio Perth she initially thought it was a prank when she learned of the win. She was unable to attend a Christmas dinner where the other winners were celebrating, but received a call from a gym member. 'She said actually we have, and I said stop mucking around,' Lorna recalled. She realized it was real when she heard screaming and champagne corks popping in the background.
The women each contributed $5 for their share of the Slikpik 50 winning ticket, purchased from a newsagent in Ocean Reef. Gym owner and syndicate organizer Sue described the win as 'surreal' and said she felt like 'the biggest Santa Claus in the world' for buying the ticket that changed their lives. The group ordered the 'finest bottle' of champagne upon confirmation of the win.
Sue noted that the gym is more than a fitness center; it's a social club for middle-aged women from all walks of life. 'We're all battlers at the end of the day and now we're all millionaires,' she said. The group plans to visit Lotterywest to see the winners' room. Lorna added that it's 'marvellous' the prize is spread among many people, calling the winners 'the loveliest, kindest people'.
The $80 million jackpot surpasses WA's previous record division one win of $50 million in 2015. Lotterywest acting chief executive Jeremy Hubble called it a history-making moment, noting the joy of meeting such a large syndicate. The win is tied for the third highest nationally.
