Anxious days for Lotto winner

A Nelson woman had an anxious wait until she cashed in her winning Lotto ticket today. Picture / Christine Cornege

An anxious couple of days ended when a lucky Nelson woman handed her winning ticket over to the Lotteries Commission in Wellington today and collected a $1 million first division prize.

The woman, who did not want to be named, bought her ticket at Countdown in Stoke.

"I had no idea that Countdown Stoke had sold the winner, until I looked on the internet," she said.

"I had to check three different websites that had the results, before I could let myself believe I could be the winner."

Lotto's first division had jackpotted after not being won the previous week and the Stoke woman shared the $2m prize with a Christchurch ticket.

The Christchurch winner had also contacted the Lotteries Commission.

The Stoke woman said it had been an anxious couple of days knowing that "this small piece of paper is worth $1m".

"I've kept it safe in a (plastic) bag, inside a plastic container which then went under my pillow.

"It wasn't a very comfortable sleep," she said.

"It's also been in my biscuit tin, handbag and back pocket. I even thought about putting it in the freezer, but thought the numbers would peel off."

The woman plans on investing her prize, setting up for retirement and maybe taking a holiday with family.

"This win won't change the way I live my life, but it will give me so many more options," she said.

- NZPA