The winning Lotto First Division ticket was sold at New World Newlands in Wellington. Photo / File
Two work colleagues who have been buying Lotto tickets together for four years have won $500,000.
The Wellington pair, who wanted to remain anonymous, decided to shake-up their usual Lotto purchase about three weeks ago by picking their own numbers
"So, we chose half the numbers each and thought we'd see how we got on," the man said.
On Wednesday night it was his turn to check the ticket. He was speechless when all six of their new shared numbers were revealed.
"I checked the ticket again and again and asked my wife to check as well. When it dawned on us that the ticket was a winner, we cracked open a bottle of Baileys with our son, and called our daughter, who shared a drink over the phone with us!"
The man went to his local Lotto store the next day on the way to work to confirm the win.
"When I got to work and saw my colleague, I couldn't hold it in. I pulled her aside and shared the news right then and there. The look on her face was priceless!"
"She was absolutely over the moon. We'd joked over the years that our Lotto ticket had occasionally won us what we called, 'petrol money', so to share this big win together was neat!"
The winning Lotto First Division ticket was sold at New World Newlands in Wellington.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.