A retired man from West Albury is set to make tracks with a trip on The Ghan after discovering he was the mystery division one winner from Saturday Lotto that NSW Lotteries officials were searching for.
There were nine division one winning entries across Australia in Saturday Lotto draw 3873 on 1 September 2018. Each entry won a division one prize of $2,222,222.23.
The winning entry was not registered to a Players Club card so NSW Lotteries had no way of contacting the winner and had to wait for him to come forward to claim his prize.
Speaking with a NSW Lotteries official this morning, the winner revealed how he discovered the life-changing news he is now a multi-millionaire.
“I saw on the news on Monday that they had an unregistered entry sold at the newsagent and I knew I had bought a ticket there,” he explained.
“I thought while I was out and about I would go in and check my entry. When I scanned the ticket and it said it was a winner but it didn’t say how much.
“It wasn’t until we called to confirm that I knew I was a winner and realised I had won over two million dollars!
“I just put in for the big draws which is why I wasn’t registered. I travel around in a motorhome so I could be anywhere and I just buy a ticket wherever I am when I see there is a big draw on.”
When asked how he planned to spend his Saturday Lotto windfall the thrilled winner revealed it would help those at the top of his Lotto List – his beloved family.
“I’ll probably help my family and their kids out if they need a hand. Things like that!” he said.
“I’ll probably have a holiday too. I’d love to on The Ghan and the India Pacific train and now I can do that.
“My mates said this will change me and I’ll become someone else. I told them ‘this is the way I am; I’m going to stay me.’
“I’m pretty well set up. I’ve got a house and a good car and I’ve got a motorhome to travel around in. Even if it is an old one that goes slow and we hold the traffic up – I won’t change!”
“It’s just going to help me and my family.”
The winning Albury entry was purchased at newsXpress Lavington Square Cards & Gift, Lavington Square, 351 Griffith Road, Lavington.
NewsXpress Lavington Square Cards & Lotto owner Tim Taylor said he was thrilled to have sold another division one winning entry.
“It’s our second division one winning entry in just seven months!” he exclaimed.
“The last one was for a Saturday Lotto Superdraw too so we are really excited to have sold two entries that have made two millionaires this year.
“We are so pleased it is a local to the area as it is great for us and great for the community.
“We wish the winner all the best with their prize!”
So far this calendar year, Monday & Wednesday Lotto and Saturday Lotto have created 131 millionaires across Australia.
The winning numbers in Saturday Lotto draw 3873 on Saturday 1 September 2018 were 36, 16, 14, 10, 43 and 5, while the supplementary numbers were 19 and 18.
Across Australia there were nine division one winning entries in Saturday Lotto draw 3873 – three each from Victoria and New South Wales, and one each from Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.
The Lott’s division one winning tally has now reached 278 so far this calendar year, including 73 won by NSW Lotteries customers.
Last financial year, there were 290 division one winning Saturday Lotto entries across the Lott’s jurisdictions, which collectively won more than $302.7 million.
