Big plans for big Ashburton MyLotto winners

  • 19/04/2016
(File)
(File)

The lucky Ashburton MyLotto winners -- who wish to remain anonymous -- have revealed the events leading up to their big win, and what they plan on doing with $22.2 million.

They were cooking dinner and jumped online with just minutes to spare to purchase the winning ticket, managing to get in just in time.

Then it took them a few days to remember to check the ticket, despite knowing the winner had come from their own town.

"We had a really busy weekend so it just didn't cross my mind. I ended up checking the ticket first thing in the morning when my fiancee and the kids were still in bed," said the winner.

He watched as the winning numbers were circled off on his ticket, and the numbers just kept on coming. When he realised he'd won, he ran upstairs to tell his fiancee.

"He thumped up the stairs screaming, 'Come here! You've got to come look at this,'" explained his fiancee.

"My mind started racing, trying to work out what might have happened. He sounded so worried. So the kids and I rushed downstairs to see what was going on, and that's when he showed me our winning ticket.

"We all just stood there staring, totally stunned. None of us could believe what we were seeing."

It wasn't long before they had figured out what they'd do with their winnings. They want to help the community, save some money for their children and, after being engaged for six years, they want to finally get hitched.

"We've been engaged for around six years now, but have been so busy with jobs and the kids that our wedding has taken a backseat. So that's one of the first things we're going to tick off the list -- getting hitched in style!"

The winning ticket was sold online at MyLotto.co.nz. It was the largest prize won by a MyLotto player and the largest Powerball ever won on the South Island.

Newshub.