A Lotto player who bought their ticket from Martina Four Square and Lotto in Thames is $27.3 million richer after taking out Powerball last night. Photo / File
A Lotto player who bought their ticket from Martina Four Square and Lotto in Thames is $27.3 million richer after taking out Powerball last night. Photo / File
Hopeful Thames residents queued up outside their local Lotto store before it had even opened its doors today.
Martina Four Square and Lotto worker Mandeep Singh said there were at least 15 people outside when he and owner Sukhpal Singh turned up to the store this morning, half an hour earlier than usual.
"We opened the shop half an hour early today because we got customers waiting outside for the shop to open... everybody is excited about the result."
A ticket worth a whopping $27.3 million scooped up the prize in last night's draw.
Singh said they were anticipating it to be a busy day and it had been non-stop since.
However, people weren't just checking their ticket once. Some were checking them at least twice - using the self-checker before getting staff to also scan it just in case the machinery was faulty.
"Normally they just chuck it in the bin after checking their tickets, but I don't know why, they're still keeping them at the moment.
"It's very hard for me to say, 'sorry mate, you're not a winner'."
He had also been fielding phone calls from people at home double checking their numbers, including online players.
He said there was a real buzz around town about who the lucky winner might be.
"Oh yeah everybody wants to know the winner is ... the whole town is happy that we got the winner.
However, although he hoped it was a local, there were many people who visited the Coromandel from Auckland and Hamilton who regularly bought their ticket from the store.
He said the lucky winner was yet to come forward but he wasn't expecting them to turn up in the shop.
"No, not yet but normally people claim their lotto ticket from some other store just because they don't want to reveal their ID."
Susan Monahan, duty manager at The Junction Hotel, said the win had been all that everyone was talking about today.
"It's definitely the talk of the town."
However, the lucky punter hadn't turned up in the pub to shout a few drinks. She expected the person to lay low for a while.
Mayor Sandra Goudie didn't buy a ticket for last night's draw and said she's a bit "hit and miss" with her Lotto.
She said it was "fantastic" for the district and hoped it was a local.
Goudie wished the winner all the best and suggested they first take a deep breath and get some "sound accounting advice" before making any big decisions on what to do with their windfall.
The winning numbers were 9, 8, 3, 36, 28 and 2.
The bonus ball was 18, while the all important Powerball number was 10.
The win includes not only the $27 m from Powerball but also $333,333 from Lotto first division.
Lotto NZ said it was the fourth largest Powerball win ever in the history of the game.
WHAT TO BUY WITH $27 MILLION?
PROPERTY
You can't beat this panoramic view over Queenstown, even on a bad day. For $2.5million it's yours. Photo/Hoamz Limited
Not only does it have four bedrooms and three bathrooms, but this property has panoramic views over the country's adventure capital, Queenstown. It could end up just being a holiday home if the winner is a Thames local. It's got an in-built BBQ for those bluebird Summer days, while the fireplace will keep you all warm in winter. All for a cool $2.5m.
VEHICLE
BMW X5 xDrive 40e Plug-in hybrid - at $150,000, it leaves you with enough to buy one for each member of the family.
You're going to need something to get around in, so why not get something that not only looks good but that can also help you during those snowy, wintry months with a new Hybrid BMW X5. They retail for just over $150,000 so you could probably by one for each member of the family.
Put in the Hard Yards on the water too with this beast which will set you back $335,000. Photo/R Marine, Trademe.
Seeing as you'll have a bit of extra time on your hands you might as well explore the water as well as the land, so why not do it in this beast. A shade over $300,000 and you can zoom off in this. 11.4m long, there's enough room for you and all your mates - maybe even the kids. Hard yards all right.
Or, you could just pay off your mortgage, give some cash to family, friends and charity, book a trip overseas and tell the boss you won't be in tomorrow.
