New South Wales, Australia
A Central Coast man became an instant retiree after being told that he had won the $10.7 million jackpot in the $2 Jackpot Lottery this morning.
“I’m retired, or at least I am now after this news – it’s unbelievable. I’m shaking – my wife is crying and I’m shaking,” said the delighted winner, who wishes to remain anonymous.
“I suppose people always hope that this sort of money goes to someone who’s deserving. I’m not rich and I’m not poor - I don’t know if you can say you’re ever deserving of $10.7 million, but I’m not going to send it back,” he joked.
He told a NSW Lotteries official he would be quitting work to spend more time with his family. “I’ll also pay off the house and take a holiday. I’ll get some financial advice on what to do with the bulk of the money,” he said.
The $10.7 million jackpot was won in draw 8598 at 8.30am today - the third highest jackpot ever reached in the game.
The prize had jackpotted for 138 draws since it was won at $12.275 million in draw 8461 on 31 August last year – which was itself the second highest level ever reached. The record jackpot was won at $13.7 million at the Sydney suburb of Top Ryde in July 2003
The winning ticket in this morning’s draw was number 49120, and was sold by the Toukley Newsagency, 30 Canton Beach Road, Toukley. Owner Neil Sweeney said that it was absolutely incredible that they had once again added a big prize to their long run of wins, when told the good news by a NSW Lotteries official this morning
“We’ve had such a good run it’s a wonder NSW Lotteries doesn’t take our licence away because we’re giving away too much money,” he joked. “We were just in the middle of putting signs up to announce we sold the jackpot prize. We were going to encourage people to check their tickets, now we can tell them one of our registered players is now a multi-millionaire.”
Lottery players in NSW purchased over 27 million tickets during the run.
The jackpot is won when a ticket, which has won a cash prize of any value, is re-selected in the computerised random number lottery draw. The jackpot will revert to $500,000 for draw 8599 tomorrow, and build by $75,000 each draw until it is won.
