A patient New Zealand Lotto player bagged a cool $1 million, all thanks to a pushy patron who decided to cut him in line.
The Tauranga winner of last week's $1 million Wednesday Lotto draw has put his win down to "good karma".
The winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, bought his lucky ticket from Pak N Save Papamoa on his way home from work.
"I was waiting in line at the Lotto shop and another customer nipped in front of me," explained the winner in a written statement from Lotto New Zealand.
"I wasn't in any hurry, so I just let them go ahead and didn't say anything. I guess good karma pays off — if that hadn't happened, they might have had the winning ticket not me."
With the lucky ticket safely tucked away at home, it took the winner a couple of days before he got around to checking it.
"I had a bit of time before work, so jumped online and checked the numbers on MyLotto — it didn't take long for me to realise that I had all the numbers.
"My mind went blank and I wasn't thinking properly, so I just put the ticket away and went to work as usual," he said.
He didn't even tell his wife.
"He didn't tell me about it until he got home that evening when he casually dropped it into conversation. Then both our heads were in a whirl," she laughed.
After a restless night's sleep, the couple popped into their local Lotto shop to claim their prize and are now deciding what to do with the money.
"The win has made it possible for us to buy a home of our own — we're so excited!
"We're not too sure what else we'll do just yet. But whatever we end up deciding, we know the win will make a massive difference to our family — we're just absolutely thrilled," the winner said.
Lotto New Zealand spokesperson Kirsten Robsinson said the winner's place in the queue would not have made a difference as tickets sales and the live draw were undertaken on a random basis.
Waiting for a reverse Gloria-spiel about how the other person didn't win because this man let him cut in.
I don't understand people sometimes. Here in philly people do what they feel. The panic people and the wrong people who don't win whine about things.
Good for this guy then.
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If it had been a scratch-off ticket, I'd agree 100%. But I don't know what they play over there.
Still, yes, good for him.
To all people: Please be patient in the Lotto line, anyway.
Don't just run up to the counter like a pack of lunatics.
(lol "like a pack of lunatics". You got that from "It's a mad mad mad mad world", didn't you?
yes, I did)
Congrats to that lucky guy! Despite the last paragraph in the article, I still strongly believe: NEVER cut in line. Of course, there is Gloria...although she didn't cut as the lady let her go ahead.
This story reminded me of the Albany, NY winners. I looked it up using LP Search box.
$319M lottery winners revealed March 31, 2011 Schenectady,NY
The soon to be winner reached over for a dark chocolate Snickers bar and another man cut in front of him. Later when recalling this the group winners thought that they might not have won if this rude man did not cut in front like he did.
Congratulations to the New Zealand couple!!
Gloria's situation was a once in a lifetime thing. Recall that Gloria" asked" if she could cut in line, permission was granted. When all is said and done : it's all in the wrist.
Congrats to the winner!
Todd,
What about tax liability? Maybe New Zealand is one of the few countries that don't tax lottery wins.
We could wish that would be the case in the good old greedy USA.
In New Zealand there is no tax on lottery prizes (The tax is collected at source - taken as a share of ticket sales). Advertised prizes are what you get in the hand.
An American winning a prize in NZ may be liable for US tax.
Welcome to Lottery Post, kao1632 May you find some good luck here.
I thought this was so. You guys are very lucky that the taxes are taken up front and I believe done with it.
Funny neither Presidential candidate here has even mentioned the idea of a more fair flat tax; just tax the rich more.
USA has the dubious honor of the most complicated, lengthy tax system of the industrialized world.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NZ WINNER! IT'S GREAT WHEN PEOPLE WIN THAT NEED AND APPRECIATE IT!
Since they announced the place where the winning Million was Won, the Rude person that CUT in front of the WINNER'S know what may have been!!! LOL
Sorry, Rude people is 1 of my PET PEEVES!
WELCOME NEW POSTER, Hope you Enjoy this site, I do we sometimes get off thread or maybe just I do?
Thank You, I Thought It was just people in Phoenix. Guess maybe a Big City thing?