A Central Otago man says he was “absolutely blown away” after winning $400,000 with Strike Four in last Wednesday’s Lotto draw.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, bought the winning ticket from Clyde Four Square while passing through the town.
“I often get my tickets from this store and when I bought it last week, I put it in my wallet for safe-keeping and forgot about it,” he said.
It wasn’t until later in the week when the man heard that Clyde had sold a winning ticket that he thought he better check his ticket, just in case.
“It was weird when I found out which store had sold a big prize, I instantly had this feeling it was me - a gut-feeling that I couldn’t shake.”
To find out if his ticket was indeed the winner, the man took it over to a family member’s house and checked it on the Lotto NZ App.
“I scanned the barcode and the words ‘Major Prize winner’ flashed up on the screen, it was so exciting!
“There were a few wahoos, followed by a bit of a ‘man-hug’ and dance around the room with the ladies. Everyone was so happy for me.”
To celebrate his big win, the man shouted his family dinner and a few pints at the pub the next day.
With the money now safely in the winner’s bank account, the man plans to take his time deciding on how to spend his new-found fortune.
“It’s a wonderful thing… I feel very fortunate to have won. It really couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.”
