Hard to sleep after winning Lotto

A Southland couple have been counting their lucky stars - and probably some fresh bank notes - after winning big in last weekend's Lotto First Division.

The husband and wife, who wish to remain anonymous, travelled to Auckland this week to claim their $1 million prize in person at Lotto NZ's head office.

Having bought the ticket in Milton on his way home, it was not until late Saturday night the husband discovered how fortunate that decision had been.

"I normally watch the live draw each week on TV but I was at a work function so I only checked my ticket when I got home," he said.

After he scanned his ticket on the Lotto NZ App, the message displayed "Major Prize Winner".

"I thought `Oh cool, I have probably won something like a $1000'.

"I looked down to line F and five of the numbers lined up. When I saw the sixth number, I said `Oh my God, I have won a million dollars'."

He immediately called his wife to tell her the good news and finally got the message out with tears running down his face.

"He kept saying `We are millionaires, we are millionaires'. We both couldn't believe we had won Lotto," she said.

They said they had trouble sleeping that night from excitement. The lucky piece of paper was stored under his pillow.

"That is when it all hit me, when I called Lotto it all became real and I was so emotional that I couldn't even speak."

Milton Night `n Day store owner Tony Nicol said it was a normal Saturday for Lotto ticket sales, but since the news of the win there had been "a real buzz around the place".

"Everyone came in hoping it was them."

He said the shop had seen Lotto luck before.

"It used to be a really lucky shop back in the day . . . we are hoping we will get another this Saturday."

With the money now in their bank account, the couple are looking forward to being semi-retired. They want to spend more time with family and travel to places on their bucket list.

"This win will give us the chance to enjoy life a bit more," the man said.

"It will take the pressure off and give us some options. We want to make sure we enjoy it."

The ticket was bought at the Milton Night `n Day in Milton for last Saturday's Lotto draw.

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