A mistake is just a happy accident
By Kate Northrop
A group of 15 coworkers claimed a $30 million (US$19.75 million) Western Australia Powerball jackpot after the group representative forgot to buy a lottery ticket for the correct drawing.
A slip-up led to an unexpected $30 million Powerball win after the group member in charge of buying tickets for a 15-person lottery pool missed a drawing for another game.
The anonymous group representative, who claimed the prize on behalf of his 14 other coworkers, started the lottery pool more than seven years ago.
"We all put money into a kitty, and I buy a Saturday Lotto ticket every week, plus one for any jackpots of $50 million or more," he told Lotterywest. "I couldn't believe it when I realized I forgot to buy our ticket for Saturday Lotto. I was thinking of the grief I was going to get on Monday at work."
To make up for the oversight, he instead bought a Powerball ticket at Malaga Newsagency, located in a Perth suburb in Western Australia.
"I saw that Powerball was at $30 million and bought a ticket for that instead on a whim," the winner said.
On Oct. 25, Lotterywest announced that Western Australia officially had its first Division One Powerball winner this year, with one single ticket laying claim to the $30 million jackpot from the Oct. 24 drawing. It was also the biggest Division One prize in Western Australia since April 2023.
The winning numbers in the Oct. 24, 2024 Powerball drawing were 1, 5, 8, 9, 14, 22, and 33, with Powerball number 2.
Since the ticket was registered under a membership, the Lottery was able to contact and get in touch with the ticketholder the following morning.
"Thanks to the ticket being registered, the ticketholder can be assured their prize is safe, and they can let this life-changing win sink in and visit Lotterywest HQ in their own time," Lotterywest spokesperson James Mooney said in a press release. "We can't wait to speak to the ticketholder and find out what this $30 million win means to them."
It didn't take long to find out. Within the week, the group representative had shown up to claim the jackpot and tell Lottery officials about the other big winners in his group.
"It was incredible welcoming this group of 15 winners into the Lotterywest Winners Room and seeing how ecstatic they were," Lotterywest spokesperson Zoe Wender said. "This is a life-changing win for this group of workmates, and how fantastic that they are sharing the joy of winning together."
The group consists of men and women from their 30s to 60s. One winner was so overjoyed with the news of winning that she bought a pineapple, one of her favorite treats.
Other winners have plans to retire early, help their children, visit family overseas, and book dream vacations. Each person will walk away with $2 million.
According to Lotterywest, the three-week Powerball jackpot run generated $5.9 million for grant programs that support community groups throughout Western Australia.
"We should never have had a ticket for this draw," the winner remarked. "I've never expected to win but play happily knowing that some of the money goes to helping the community."
Thanks to dannyct for the tip.
What an honest guy, to think of the other members!
Some people would have tried to keep it all for themselves.
Always happy to hear about a good guy winning the lottery.
Congrats to the club on their 30 million dollar win!
If it was "Bought under a membership", then it could be a "membership" used by the syndicate.
Makes it a bit difficult to hide a win.... But also tidies up paperwork.... so that tickets bought individually and for the syndicate are kept separate...
And.. Given that people are likely to notice that one of their people (The head of the syndicate) suddenly has a lot of money. Questions would be asked and.. Good case for a case of fraud against the rest of the syndicate...
I agree. It had nothing to do with honesty. The group membership process appears to have been very clearly established. Perhaps if it had not been so, he might have tried to cheat. And forgetting to buy a ticket, clearly shows the likelihood he might have made a substitution.
The State Lottery of Western Australia, which was established 1932, is the only state lottery which is run by the State Government. All other Australian states have sold off the administration of their lotteries.