New ute for the dogs: Whangārei man's first buy after winning big on Lotto

A new ute for his dogs was the first priority for a Whangarei man who won $333,333 with Lotto First Division recently.

A Whangārei man and his dogs are enjoying their sweet new ride, after recently winning $333,333 with Lotto First Division.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a regular Lotto player and picked up the lucky ticket while doing his usual grocery shop.

"I do the groceries every couple of weeks, so to save me going to get my Lotto tickets four times, I buy them all at once," said the man.

On the way to walk the dogs a few days later, the man stopped to check his tickets as normal – none the wiser that the store had recently sold a winning First Division ticket.

"I had my dogs with me so I wound down the windows and they sat waiting patiently for me to return so we could go on our walk," laughed the man.

"On my first ticket I won $28 – 'sweet' I thought, it covers next week's tickets!"

The man then handed over his last ticket and again, the winning music chimed. It was certainly a lucky week - but he didn't know just how lucky.

"The Lotto lady told me it was a major prize, I thought about $600," said the winner.

"I was soon put right after the receipt was slid over the counter to me, First Division - $333,333! It felt so surreal."

While the man filled in his Prize Claim Form, the New World Regent employees went to check on his dogs.

"I thought I'd only be a minute, I bet they were wondering where I'd got to," he said.

"The New World staff were really helpful."

With the winnings now safely in his bank account, the man is looking forward to the future with his new bank balance.

"I've bought a new ute – that's my big purchase. It helps with the dogs, they can ride on the back now and I don't have to worry about them messing up the back seats," he said.

The winning ticket was sold at New World Regent in Whangārei for the Lotto draw on Saturday, January 18.

So far this year there have been two Lotto First Division winning tickets sold in Northland - both worth $333,333 - and seven Division Two winning tickets.

The wins continue on from last year's Lotto luck for Northland that saw 10 Lotto, one Powerball and three Strike First Division wins in the region.

There were also 49 Lotto Second Division wins, two Powerball Second Division wins and 214 Strike Second Division winners in Northland in 2019.

Last year $12,505,770 was won in Northland on Lotto; $6,094,841 on Powerball and $2,398,156 on Strike.