Sleep-deprived family man won't have to struggle anymore

By Kate Northrop

An anonymous man from North Melbourne lost his job in the pandemic but knew his luck turned around when he discovered he was the sole winner of an $80 million (US$58.7 million) Australian Powerball jackpot.

It took one single ticket in the Aug. 12, 2021 Powerball drawing for a sleep-deprived cleaner's life to instantly change for the better.

After holding the only winning ticket for the drawing with the numbers 4, 10, 17, 19, 21, 23, and 26 with Powerball number 7, the Victorian man instantly became the state's biggest individual lottery winner and the third-biggest lottery winner in Australia. He learned of his record-breaking win late Thursday night.

"I am so excited," he told The Lott. "I checked my ticket late last night. I couldn't sleep after that!"

The winner, who is described in a press release as a middle-aged family man, said he lost his job during one of the many lockdowns in Melbourne.

"We had only just bought a home and didn't see it coming," he recalled. "I've been working as a cleaner ever since to make ends meet."

While he was ecstatic to describe the excitement of winning, the winner shared some positive sentiment for others experiencing similar struggles.

"Like for so many people, these lockdowns have been really tough for our family, but I've always said you've just gotta keep trying," the winner said. "Now look what's happened — it is absolutely unbelievable!"

First things first, he wants to check off the mortgage and any other outstanding bills on his to-do list. Then, the cleaner said he plans to give his family a better life while giving back to anyone he could help.

"We're going to set up our kids for life," he said. "That will be an incredible thing to be able to do. There's so much we will be able to do with this prize. It will change so many people's lives."