A last-minute decision to buy himself a Lotto ticket has made one lucky Levin man $6.5 million better off.
After two weeks of speculation over who the prize winner could be, the local man finally decided to check his ticket after being pestered by a friend.
He claimed his winnings today, after buying the winning ticket on December 27 at Levin Lucky Lotto.
The recent millionaire claimed to have no idea he had the winning ticket in his possession, and could have just as easily given it away.
"I popped into the store late last year to grab a couple of tickets for family members as gifts," the winner said.
"But once I got back to my car, I thought 'hang on, I should get one for me too', so I headed back in-store for my own ticket."
That decision turned out to be life-changing, and a near miss for those receiving the gifts.
"I would still have been rapt if one of my family had won the prize," he said.
The unsuspecting winner spent the past two weeks telling other people to check their tickets, but still hadn't checked his own.
"I knew the winning ticket had been sold in Levin, but I just didn't think it would be me that won," he said.
"But a friend was giving me a hard time this morning, so I agreed to finally check my ticket."
He went in-store, not expecting much, and got quite a surprise when he handed over the ticket.
"The guy leaned across the counter and said quietly to me 'do you know what you've won?' and then he said 'it's a big prize'.
"I was probably in a bit of shock when he told me, to be honest."
The winner hasn't had a chance to celebrate his windfall yet, partly because "it hasn't hit home really".
He is yet to decide what the future has in store for him, but is considering his options.
"I enjoy what I do and I would like to keep working - although maybe I could go part-time," he laughed.
"But the first thing I want to do is help out family."
This is the second Powerball First Division prize won in Levin, following a $7 million prize win in 2007.
This is the 15th First Division winning ticket Levin Lucky Lotto has sold over the years and its first Powerball win.
