Editorial: Big win reason to enjoy

Dairy owner Rajmesh Kumar described the lucky winner as a genuine, humble man who had no idea when he walked into the shop yesterday he could be holding a golden ticket. Photo: Stephen Parker

So, is anyone uncharacteristically missing from your workplace this morning? Do they live in Springfield? Might it be them?

For one Rotorua man and his family, persistence paid off in a spectacular way this weekend.

The winner of the $24.3m Lotto Powerball prize had been buying a ticket every week for 17 years from the Springfield Superette.

Odds are he may have had some smaller wins along the way but he held the faith, probably reasoning he had to be in to win.

The big win has got the city talking. Springfield residents, in particular, would have been fielding hopeful inquiries from friends and family yesterday, while those that had bought tickets from the dairy would have been racing, hearts pounding to check their tickets.

Dairy owner Rajmesh Kumar described the lucky winner as a genuine, humble man who had no idea when he walked into the shop yesterday he could be holding a golden ticket.

Can you imagine how he must have felt scanning the ticket, as he had done hundreds of times before, and seeing that massive number coming up?

No wonder he had to get it double-checked.

Huge Lotto payouts have been criticised in the past for being unnecessary, with some calling for the prize structure to be rejigged so more people can benefit, to a lesser degree.

But isn't it that remote possibility of winning such a mind-blowing sum of money that keeps people buying tickets week after week?

Well, people like the Springfield winner anyway. Others of us get disheartened by not winning a thing and give up. Who's laughing now?

Congratulations to the winner, whoever you are.

Spend it wisely, spend it well and enjoy.