Tonight’s $100 million Powerball jackpot is one for the Australian record books with a mother in her 40s from inner-Sydney taking home the entire $100 million Powerball jackpot.
Remarkably, the winner’s division one prize was boosted to a phenomenal $107,575,649.08 due to the number of entries purchased in tonight’s draw.
The division one winning entry was the only entry nationally to match all seven winning numbers and the all-important Powerball in draw 1183, re-writing the record books and setting Australian lottery history as the biggest individual prize ever won.
Tonight’s draw also saw a total of 3,856,275 prizes worth more than $68.4 million won in divisions two to nine. This includes 20 division two winning entries, that each took home a division two prize of $94,792.90.
An official from the Lott had the absolute pleasure of calling the registered player directly after the draw to break the life-changing news. It was clear the woman was not expecting the call and was oblivious to her win.
“I don’t understand what is going on!” she exclaimed hysterically.
“I’ve had such a tumultuous day, so I don’t know where I am and what I am doing!
“I don’t understand – is this actually real?
“I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it! Is this a trick?”
When confirming the news late this evening, the winner initially revealed she thought she had won $107,000.
“Oh my god, $107,000! That’s amazing!”
“Wait – are you telling me I’ve won $107 million!? Oh my god! That is just so much money!”
When asked how she planned to spend her mind-blowing windfall, the hard-working winner revealed her beloved family was first and foremost in her mind.
“I’m a healthcare professional but I won’t be retiring! I’m so passionate about my job. It will drive me to do more health work for causes important to me,” she declared.
“I’ll be sharing it with my family. I thought of my family when I purchased the ticket!
“I’m not quite sure what to do but of course I will be helping my family.
“I’ll be giving my favourite charity some money! They’ll get a whole slab of money!
“The win gives me the chance to go and do the things I’ve always want to do.
“We might buy a caravan and travel around too.”
The winner recounted how she came to hold the division one winning entry.
“It was so random. I just decided to log-on yesterday and mark an entry with some random numbers,” she revealed.
“I just don’t understand how this lucky ticket has won me $107 million!
“I’m not sure how I will be able to sleep tonight, but for now I’m going to go have a cheap glass of chardonnay.”
The regular player, who wishes to remain anonymous, purchased her 12-game marked entry online at thelott.com – Australia’s official lotteries.
The numbers drawn tonight in Powerball draw 1183 on Thursday 17 January 2019 were 20, 18, 33, 22, 11, 26 and 4 and the Powerball was number 9.
Across Australia, there was only one division one winning entry in Powerball draw 1183 – the entry from New South Wales.
The Lott’s division one winning tally across all Australian lottery games has now reached 208 so far this financial year.
In the 12 months ending 2018, there were 16 Powerball division one winning entries nationally who collectively took home $367 million. The biggest Powerball prize won during 2018 was $60 million, won in November by a man from Burleigh Heads.