An Invercargill couple experienced an overwhelming mix of shock, joy, and disbelief after winning a staggering $17.25 million in the Powerball First Division. The fortunate pair, who have chosen to remain anonymous, described the life-changing moment as a complete shock that turned their world upside down. Related: Powerball Win Of $17.2M For Invercargill
The unexpected windfall came about when the woman purchased a Powerball ticket on MyLotto in the early hours of Wednesday morning. However, it wasn’t until after the evening draw that she remembered to check her numbers. Logging into her account, she was initially unaware of the magnitude of her win.
“I logged in and checked my ticket, not thinking about it. But when I saw my numbers line up, followed by the words ‘Major Prize Winner,’ I immediately showed my husband,” she explained. “I didn’t even really see how much it was, but he stared at the screen, looked at me, and said, ‘Do you know how much that is?'”
The woman confessed to being oblivious, mistakenly believing the prize was $17,000. When her husband clarified that they had won a staggering $17 million, she was left in awe. “I just said, oh my gosh,” she recalled.
Her husband, on the other hand, initially suspected it was all an elaborate prank. “I kept asking her, ‘Is this a joke? You’re joking, right?'” he said.
Once the reality of their newfound wealth sank in, the couple experienced a whirlwind of emotions. They sat in stunned silence, likening themselves to “stunned mullets,” before erupting into laughter followed by tears of joy. “I’m surprised I didn’t have a heart attack!” the man joked.
Maintaining their composure in front of their children proved challenging, as the couple struggled to hide their excitement. “We were buzzing – you could feel it in the air,” the man explained.
The following day was no less surreal for the couple. “I took a screenshot of the ticket and kept looking at it and smiling throughout the day. I must have looked like a madman!” the man said.
Now that they have officially claimed their prize, the couple is focused on how the windfall will positively impact their family. “The win is going to help our family so much,” the woman said. “After everything calms down a bit, we’d like to celebrate somewhere nice with the kids, but we plan to keep working and living life like normal.”
The couple expressed their amazement at the turn of events, emphasizing that they never anticipated such good fortune. “We honestly never thought this would happen. It’s amazing!” the woman exclaimed.
The winning $17.25 million Powerball First Division ticket was sold on MyLotto for the draw held on Wednesday, April 26. The couple has chosen to remain anonymous and declined to provide further comments at this time. This marks the seventh Powerball First Division win of 2023.
In recent weeks, Southland has experienced a wave of luck, with multiple winners emerging. Just days before the multimillion-dollar win, another couple from Invercargill won $500,000 in Lotto First Division. They expressed relief and gratitude, stating that the win came at a perfect time for them.
April has been particularly fortuitous for Southland, as two players each won $21,969 with Lotto Second Division on April 22, and one player won $40,369 with Lotto Second Division on April 19. Additionally, a Strike player from Gore secured a $200,000 win in the draw on April 5. The region seems to be enjoying an extraordinary streak of good luck, bringing immense joy to its fortunate residents.