The couple kept their ticket hidden in the sock drawer for days while they worked out what they would do with their winnings.
The couple, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the win and needed time to process it before coming forward.
A Lotto spokesperson said the winners occasionally played Lotto and had bought a Powerball Dip a week before the multimillion-dollar draw.
The woman said she had been busy doing chores on Wednesday night, and it wasn’t until quite late that she decided to check her ticket.
“I looked the numbers up online and started checking each line of the ticket.
“The winning line was right at the bottom, and the numbers just sort of jumped out at me – all of them,” she said.
“I couldn’t breathe at first – I was almost hyperventilating.”
The woman said her husband had already gone to bed and she had to wake him to confirm the prize.
The couple said they were in no rush to claim their prize the next day – or even the next week.
“We wanted to keep things normal while we thought about our next steps.”
“I’d keep things cool during the day but then come home and cry – tears of happiness, of course, but it was also a lot to take in,” the woman said.
The couple said they had kept their yellow ticket hidden in a sock drawer.
“I kept thinking, ‘goodness, I better make sure the iron is turned off’ every time I went out”, the woman said.
With their win finally claimed, the couple said they were looking forward to the future – but are going to take their time and think through how they want to use the winnings.
“This will help us set up our family for generations to come. It is also enough for us to help community causes we care about over the long term and make a lasting difference – and that is what we are focused on,” the man said.
“Winning this is definitely a defining moment of our lives.”
That winning ticket was sold at Fresh Choice Merivale in Christchurch.
