Change of tactics worked for Timaru’s $7.3m Lotto winner

A Timaru man who checked his Lotto results from his bed on Sunday morning couldn’t believe it as he watched the numbers on his ticket being circled as his winning result was revealed.

During that decision to check his ticket before getting up, he learnt he had become New Zealand’s newest Powerball multi-millionaire, winning $7.3 million with Lotto’s Powerball First Division.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a regular MyLotto player and has been playing his own numbers for years, but on Saturday he decided to mix things up by buying a Power Dip.

He split Saturday’s $14m Powerball jackpot with a MyLotto player from Auckland.

‘‘I didn’t even know that Powerball had been won – never mind that it was won in Timaru,’’ he said. ‘‘I watched my ticket as one number circled, then two, three and four, until all of the numbers were staring back at me.’’

The man was shocked to see $7,333,333 stamped at the top of his electronic ticket.

‘‘I couldn’t believe it, I sat bolt upright and kept saying ‘oh my goodness’ over and over – you never think it’s going to be you.’’

With his win claimed, the man carried on with his usual Sunday routine.

‘‘It was so hard keeping it to myself while I was around town on Sunday.

‘‘You dream of this moment all your life – but I never realised how difficult it would be not to shout it from the rooftops.’’

He said he spent the rest of the evening thinking about what he’d like to do with his new-found fortune.

‘‘This win is really going to help my family, and I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when I share the news.

‘‘I’m also looking forward to doing some fun stuff like taking some trips overseas, but I think I’ll start right here in my backyard with a scenic flight around the beautiful South Island.’’

‘‘You dream of this moment all your life – but I never realised how difficult it would be not to shout it from the rooftops.’’

Lotto winner