An Otago man who only ever buys a Lotto ticket "every now and then'' has come forward to claim $1 million from Lotto's first division prize pool.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous, bought the ticket "on a whim'' at Ryder's Paper Plus as he was passing through Balclutha last week for the Wednesday night draw.
"I was just walking past the Lotto shop and I thought. 'hang on, Lotto's on tonight, I might get a ticket'.''
He said he only bought tickets "every now and then''.
"I guess it was just a bit of good timing that I bought a ticket that day.''
He first thought he was seeing things when he saw six matching numbers in a row. He told his wife, who urged him to check the ticket at the store.
Once the win was confirmed, the man played a joke on his wife by telling her he mixed the dates up and had not won.
"Let's just say she knows me too well and immediately knew I was pulling her leg."
Winning $1 million made it easier for her to forgive him for the joke, he said.
The couple plan to use the money to help their children and invest it.
He was excited to share the windfall with their children and to set themselves up a bit.
"I honestly just feel like the luckiest man.''
The win came in the same week as a Central Otago couple won $18.2 million with Powerball in last Saturday's Lotto draw.
