13 September 23

“I started having a panic attack!”: Mount Gambier woman left in shock following $500,000 Instant Scratch-Its top prize win

By Khat McIntyre-Intrachai

Updated 13 September 2023 - 11:55 am,

first published at 13 September 2023 - 11:55 am

A Mount Gambier woman has confessed she was left hyperventilating after the first line of her Instant Scratch-Its ticket revealed she had scored a $500,000 top prize win.

The $20 Instant Scratch-Its ticket was purchased at Killara Food Centre, Shop 4, 170-174 Jubilee Highway West, Mount Gambier.

The South Australian resident relayed how her winning discovery came about when an official from The Lott reached out to her on Wednesday morning.

“I started having a panic attack!” the winning woman exclaimed.

“Immediately I went, ‘no way, I must be looking at this wrong!’

“It is so surreal.

“My poor daughter was sleeping but I just had to wake her up.

“Then I called my husband and told him to get home immediately. He thought something was wrong!

“I still can’t believe it. Who wins half a million dollars?!

“I got a bundle of tickets, and it was the last one in the pack! I almost didn’t buy them, but I am glad I did.

“It is just crazy.”

When asked how she would use her newfound fortune, the regular player shared she had a few exciting plans in mind.

“We’re going to see a financial advisor as we have so much, we want to do,” she said.

“A new car, house renovations, pay off some of the mortgage, the list goes on!

“We’re going to celebrate on the weekend too.”

Killara Food Centre team member Nyesha Hart said her and the team were over the moon for their winning customer and wished them all the best for the future.

“What an amazing win! We’re so glad to hear Killara Food Centre had sold a winning top prize Instant Scratch-Its tickets” she said.

“The team and I are super excited that we sold a winning Instant Scratch-Its ticket to a local customer.

“Congratulations to the fortunate person and we wish them all the best with their prize!”

In FY23, there were 147 Instant Scratch-Its top prize winners across The Lott’s jurisdictions who collectively took home more than $12.1 million in top prizes.