Lotto winner kept $1 million ticket in the car

The couple wanted to think about what they would do with the money before claiming their First Division prize. Photo / File

An Auckland couple left a $1 million winning Lotto ticket in their car for two weeks before cashing it in.

The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, wanted to really think about what they would do with the money before claiming their First Division prize.

"The winning ticket drove with me everywhere for the next two weeks - it didn't really click until now that I was effectively driving around with $1 million on the front seat," said one of the winners.

It wasn't until after the long weekend the winners decided to claim their win at Lotto's head office.

"The first thing we're going to do is pay off our mortgage, then we want to help our kids buy their first home. Other than that we don't really know what we're going to do - all we know is that life is going to be a lot easier now."

When the winner first discovered he was successful, he was in a state of disbelief.

"I scanned it with the self-checker and 'First Division winner' flashed up on the screen. I couldn't believe it, I really thought I was seeing things."

The winner then raced home and grabbed his wife, as he did not want her to miss out on the special moment.

"I really didn't think it could be true," explained his wife. "Then he put the winning ticket under the machine and 'First Division winner' popped up. It was really bizarre, my eyes told me we'd won, but my brain just couldn't make sense of it."

With the money now safely in their bank account, the winners are looking forward making the most of their new found fortune.