Blenheim is rife with speculation about who won the life-changing $9 million through Lotto Powerball this week.
And the anonymous winner says her stomach flips every time the win gets mentioned around her.
"We would hear people in the community talking about the prize, wondering who the winner might beand what they might be spending it on – my stomach did flips every time I heard someone talking and I thought – 'they're talking about me and they don't even know it'."
The regular player, who buys triple-dip tickets, never thought she would win big and even celebrates when winning a mere $20 - "at least it pays for the next ticket".
"The machine made a noise and they told me I had won $9 million. I was completely gobsmacked," she says.
"It was so surreal. I just kept thinking [about] how I was going to tell my husband we were millionaires."
Later that day, the woman shared the news with her husband and immediate family who had dinner and drinks to celebrate.
The couple are planning to do some renovations to their home, enjoy Christmas with family, and having a long summer in the Marlborough Sounds while they think about what to do next.
"We'd love to go overseas when we can, but for now, we'll enjoy our own country while we make some future plans," she says.
"We still can't believe it's real – even after seeing our new bank balance."
