A Melbourne dad has had a birthday he’ll never forget after revealing a $100,000 Instant Scratch-Its win on a ticket he received as a gift from his son.
The top prize-winning $5 Wheel of Fortune Instant Scratch-Its ticket was purchased at Bacchus Marsh Newsagency, 138 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh.
Speaking to an official from The Lott after claiming his prize, the loving son revealed how the wheels of fortune had spun to deliver his family the winning ticket.
“It’s crazy! It’s pretty wild,” he laughed.
“My partner and I were travelling through Bacchus Marsh to get to a wedding – we’re from Wyndham Vale, so we’re not normally in that area.
“We were running really late, but we stopped at Bacchus Marsh Newsagency to get a wedding card. That was the main reason we stopped.
“It’s just a case of being in the right place at the right time.
“While we were there, I bought Dad this Instant Scratch-Its ticket as a present for his birthday.
“Funnily enough, my mum read the ticket after he’d scratched it and thought he’d won $10,000. But then my sister checked the ticket and realised it was actually $100,000!
“Dad called me and said, ‘I’ve won! I’ll split it with you!’. So Dad’s given me half.
“I was blown away. We just couldn’t believe it. What are the chances?!
“My partner and I are in a rental so we’ll put our share towards a house deposit – it’s come at a good time.
“And my parents are going to enjoy it!”
Bacchus Marsh Newsagency owner Pete Drever said he was thrilled to see another big win at his outlet.
“Many customers purchase scratchies as gifts for loved ones in the belief it may change their lives – this time it did,” he said.
“We have been lucky enough to have had many major lottery prize winners over the 15 years we have operated this outlet. Our customers genuinely believe they are shopping at a lucky outlet and this will only endorse that sentiment.
“We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to our latest major prize winner and hope that their windfall makes a big difference to their life and that of their family.
“We often get asked, ‘do people really win on scratchies?’. Well, this is our outlet’s second major prize win, so we can happily say, ‘Yes, they do!’.”
In 2023, there were 144 Instant Scratch-Its top prize winners across The Lott’s jurisdictions who collectively took home more than $12.1 million in top prizes.