Lotto winner delays claiming big prize

SYDNEY - A Newcastle man who won a A$2 ($2.48) million Lotto prize avoided claiming his winnings for seven months while he prepared himself mentally.

The 48-year-old small businessman discovered his win on January 13, the morning after the draw, but has been storing the ticket in a tin since then.

"I'm a bit of a crazy sort of bloke," he told John Vineburg, from NSW Lotteries.

"There was something about claiming that much money that I wasn't ready for, I had to get my head around it. I just wanted to prepare myself mentally before I put my hands on it."

The winner, who did not want to be identified, said just having the ticket was comforting.

Mr Vineburg said he had not encountered anyone else who had waited to claim a multi-million dollar prize.

- AAP