A Gladstone man is planning his retirement almost a decade earlier than he ever expected after this morning waking up to news he’s suddenly a millionaire.
The soon-to-be retiree held one of the two division one winning entries nationally in Monday Gold Lotto draw 3850, drawn Monday 11 March 2019. Each entry took home a division one prize of $1,000,000.
The hardworking Queenslander had his morning smoko break interrupted by a phone call from a Golden Casket official to break the life-changing news.
“You’ve got to be joking me?” he began to question.
“How do I know this isn’t a joke?
“Wow! I can’t believe this!
“This is just… wow!
“Thank you so much. I really can’t describe how I’m feeling right now.
“I had no idea what so ever!
“I’m in disbelief!”
The man revealed he’d been play lottery for longer than he could remember and for years he’d been marking his entries using the same numbers every time.
“I’ve been marking those same numbers for a good 15 years,” he explained.
“I can’t remember why I chose those numbers but I’m glad I did.
“I’ll pay the house off and go on a holiday, probably around Australia.
“I’ll be retiring about a decade earlier than I thought!
“This will certainly kick those plans into gear.
“I really am still in disbelief. It’s going to take a while for this news to sink in.
“I think I will have the take the rest of the day off work!”
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, purchased his winning 12-game marked entry at Gladstone Central News & Gifts, Shop 7-8, Gladstone Central Shopping Centre, Gladstone.
Gladstone Central News & Gifts manager Alexandra Moodie said this was the first division one winning entry the outlet had sold.
“We’re all so excited. We only opened this store late last year and to have already sold a division one winning entry is just beyond amazing!” she exclaimed.
“It’s like a dream come true for us, although this is the first time we’ve sold a division one winning entry, we have sold two division two winning entries since opening.
“We will certainly be celebrating this incredible milestone and hope it’s the first of many!
“Congratulations to our customer! We hope he really enjoys his prize and has so much fun thinking of how he’ll spend his $1 million!”
In 2018, Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto and Saturday Gold Lotto created 194 millionaires across Australia.
The winning numbers in Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto draw 3850 on Monday 11 March 2018 were 20, 44, 8, 1, 5 and 40, while the supplementary numbers were 4 and 39.
Across Australia there were two division one winning entries in Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto draw 3850 – one each from Queensland and Western Australia.
The Lott’s division one winning tally has now reached 262 so far this calendar year, including 58 won by Golden Casket customers.
In the 12 months to 31 December 2018, there were 69 division one winning Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto entries across the Lott’s jurisdictions, which collectively won $62 million.
