Rana from Maraenui’s Lotto joy: In the morning she couldn’t pay for fuel, by the afternoon she was a millionaire

A new millionaire’s life-changing trip to the store where she would check her Lotto ticket was made using a $10 top-up of fuel lent to her by the owner of a nearby service station.

Rana of Maraenui, who is on a jobseeker benefit for medical reasons, claimed the $1 million win from the suburb’s Four Square on Monday, from a ticket bought at Andrew Spence Pharmacy in Onekawa.

The 23-year-old Hawke’s Bay woman has decided to publicly share her delight about winning the prize from a ticket she says was a gift.

She wants the joy from her story of rags to relative riches to brighten the days of others and she wants the chance to show her gratitude to those close to her, who she says have raised her to triumph over adversity.

Hawke’s Bay Today has decided to share only her first name with readers because of the risk of targeted harassment that big money winners can face.

Rana is also aware of that risk.

She said that, since Monday, she had been helped by her close whānau to make the best decisions with her money.

She had also spoken with Lotto advisers and said she would be speaking to a financial adviser soon.

She had big plans for the future, but her firm focus was on supporting her whānau.

“I still think we are in a dream, I don’t even think it’s real and we are living a dream.”

Rana’s life before the Lotto win

Good fortune hasn’t always come the way of Rana and her family.

Before the win, she had lived in a low-income household in Maraenui, where the struggle to pay bills was a regular occurrence.

“When we were growing up we had to share things, we always got hand-me-down stuff, it was never brand new, my mum could never afford it.”

She said she was immensely grateful for her upbringing as it had taught her how to live with nothing, and made the Lotto winnings worth “so much more” to her.

Breaking the cycle of poverty appeared unlikely before the win.

Rana has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and also suffers from epileptic seizures. She struggles to find work as a result.

Instead, she volunteers regularly with the Napier Christian Fellowship.

Since Monday, a lot of people had been messaging her and congratulating her, but others were also asking for money, she said.

“I know who was there when we were struggling and I know who the real people are, and those are the people I will look after.”

Rana still feels like she is in a dream after checking a Lotto ticket that won $1 million. Photo / Warren Buckland

The day of Rana’s win: ‘Something just told me to stop and check the ticket’

Rana’s Monday started with the realisation she had errands to do, but no fuel or money.

With two Lotto tickets sitting beside her in the car, she pulled into the local service station. The operator agreed to give her $10 of fuel and she promised to pay him back the next day.

Little did she know that, in a few hours, she would be able to do more than just pay him back.

She said stopping to check the tickets at Maraenui Four Square was an off-the-cuff decision, but she got an “intense feeling” that she should do it as she drove past.

“Something just told me to stop and check the ticket.”

To her delight, the first ticket she scanned won $68 and she realised she would be able to pay her petrol bill.

She then had the second ticket scanned and the machine suddenly stopped – it seemed to be a winner as well.

The checkout operator called in Maraenui Four Square owner Kuljit Parihar, who called Lotto HQ, and confirmed a winning figure.

Ten minutes after the machine stopped, she put it up on the screen: $1 million.

Rana burst into tears and ran from the store.

“I had to run out to the car and tell the other person in the car and told her to come in and check to make sure that I wasn’t lying or seeing things.

“There was so much excitement.”

She hopes to invest the money and eventually buy a house and take the family on a cruise.

She also has dreams of what the money could bring if her investments are wise and it grows.

She wants to build a place for young people, like her, where they can go when they are struggling, to feel safe and not judged.

Rana says she wants to thank the close whānau who've stood by her. Photo / Warren Buckland

For now, though, she has bought her sister and her mother a new phone and splashed out on one for herself too – one with a new number.

Lotto’s advice for winners - young and old

Lotto NZ has a winner’s book that it gives to every major winner. In it, it lists a range of advice, from how to seek financial advice to deciding who you should tell.

The book notes the best thing to do on discovering you’re a winner is to put your money in the bank and leave it there while you come back to earth.

“You may like to take out a small amount to play with while you make the big decisions – shout your mates, buy something special or go on a small holiday. It’ll help you let off some steam.

“At the same time, you should work out a plan of exactly what you want to do with your money. Without this, you may find yourself giving in to spending temptations that you’ll regret later. Too many spur-of-the-moment decisions can put other goals out of your reach, which is why a timetable of action – what you want to do over the next few months – is a great idea.

Lotto’s book says it’s “very important” to think carefully about who you tell as soon as you find out about your win.

“Most of our winners tell their immediate families. Some tell their workmates. Some are happy to tell the media about their good fortune.

“You don’t have to tell anyone if you don’t want to – the choice is entirely yours. Remember that the more people you do tell (including your family), the greater the chances of others finding out about your win.”

The booklet says a life-changing win doesn’t just affect your life financially.

“Past winners have found the help of other advisory services useful to help them talk through some of their concerns. These include: legal advisers, church groups, Citizens Advice Bureaux, counselling or support groups.

“It’s not unusual for lottery winners to feel a strong need for support from others. These services give you a chance to talk about your feelings and concerns confidentially, without worrying about the potential of upsetting those around you.”

Lotto says seeking advice from a professional financial adviser is key.

“What’s important to you will be influenced by your age, family situation and the amount of money you have won.

“Your professional adviser can help you decide what to do, but your own thoughts and feelings are still the most important.

“You may think being debt-free is one of the best things in the world, or you may feel that a new house or an overseas trip should come first.

“There’s no right or wrong answer – you should make decisions that feel right for you.”

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.