Life-changing Lotto surprise: Kiwi mum wins big thanks to Mother's Day gift

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A Mother's Day gift has turned into a life-changing surprise for one New Plymouth woman who discovered she'd won $5.3 million with Powerball First Division.

On Sunday morning her daughter heard in the news that Powerball First Division had been won in New Plymouth, a Lotto spokesperson said, and decided to check the ticket before popping it in the card for her Mum.

"My daughter told me she had a funny feeling, so she looked up the numbers online, and after checking and double checking she realised it was the winner!" Her mother said.

"She couldn't believe it. Everyone was coming around to see me for Mother's Day, so she popped the ticket back in the card and brought it around. When she arrived, she said 'Mum, [you have to] open your card first'."

The woman, who doesn't want to be named, said she pulled the ticket out and her daughter "insisted" she check the numbers straight away.

"I went through the first line, circling one number after another, after another…until finally I had all of them circled, right there on the first line. I couldn't believe it – I felt completely numb."

With so much to celebrate, the family carried on with their plans for Mother's Day but topped the occasion off with a bottle of champagne and fish'n'chips for dinner, the spokesperson said.

"The kids were so excited! It was certainly a Mother's Day to remember."

With the prize officially claimed, the spokesperson said the woman was looking forward to making the most of the winnings.

"I always said if I won Lotto I would use the money to help out the kids. So that's exactly what we're going to do – and maybe take the family on holiday at some point.

"My husband said he'd quite like a new car – but I don't think there's anything wrong with the one he's got!"

The winning ticket was purchased at Countdown Vogeltown in New Plymouth for the draw on Saturday May 7.

This is the sixth time Powerball First Division has been struck in 2022.