A Westland District Council staff syndicate has split last Saturday's $500,000 first division Lotto win eight ways.
Former council events and Wildfoods manager Mike Keenan said the windfall equated to $64,500 each.
He was in Christchurch when he got the news on Monday afternoon that the syndicate, which had been going for about eight years, had won.
"I just screamed. It was such an excitement," Mr Keenan said.
By the time he had driven back to Hokitika he had the money mostly spent in his head.
An overseas trip is on the cards to visit his daughter in England as is a new drier and even a plot at the Hokitika Cemetery - "with a headstone as well, all ready to go".
Ironically, when he heard that Hokitika New World had sold a $500,000 ticket at the weekend he had hoped it went to someone local as the town was busy with visitors from Christchurch, with more than 200 visiting cyclists on the Ride the Wilderness race.
By yesterday, news had spread quickly around town identifying the winners.
"I've had people coming up and congratulating me. People are happy for you, that's the beauty of it," Mr Keenan said.
The supermarket had gifted a couple of bottles to champagne to the winning eight, and they would get together at some stage to celebrate their good luck.
- Janna Sherman of the Hokitika Guardian
