$60m Powerball winner’s heartwarming act

A Victorian woman who won $60m in Thursday’s Powerball has been praised for a heartwarming act of goodwill.

The woman – who resides in Daylesford, a town of less than 3000 people in the Hepburn Shire 110km northwest of Melbourne – told the Lott she would be donating a significant chunk of the money to charities that support children.

Hepburn Shire Mayor Brian Hood was full of praise for the new local millionaire’s selfless deed.

“It’s very commendable, very pleasing to hear,” Mr Hood told NCA NewsWire.

“It’s a very worthwhile direction for any sort of funds to flow to.”

Incredibly, the lucky lady hand-picked each of the unique winning numbers in this week’s draw including numbers 11, 19, 4, 22, 3, 8, 14 and the Powerball number of 5.

She was the only division one winning entry nationally and will take home the entire winnings for the second-biggest lottery win this year.

“I’m in a bit of shock at the moment. Oh my god! I can’t believe this is happening,” she told the Lott on Thursday night.

“My husband is walking around dumbfounded. He accidentally hung up on you in a frenzy.”

While she evaded initial attempts by lottery officials to deliver the winning news, the stunned winner realised she was now a multi-millionaire after quickly checking her ticket online.

“I think a lot of charities might benefit – especially those that help disadvantaged children,” she declared.

“This prize will help a lot of people out.

“It’s my main goal.”

With the winner in a generous frame of mind, Mr Hood was hopeful they would stay in the area.

“It’s a very attractive part of Victoria,” he said.

“It’d be lovely if they stayed, particularly if they decided to donate some of the money to local charities.”

Seven entries will also take home $155,630.30 in division two.

This week’s Powerball draw 1429 was the second biggest jackpot offered by any Australian lottery game so far this year.

It was also the biggest Powerball jackpot in over a month.

The biggest winner so far this year is a Western Sydney dad who took home an eye-watering $100m in a June Powerball draw.

Incredibly, the Bankstown man told the Lott he was planning to carry on with his day job.

His family would at least be getting a new home, he added, and with the size of the jackpot you’d imagine it won’t be a shack.

So far this year, 12 Powerball division one winning entries across Australia have collectively taken home more than $394 million in prize money.

Up to one-in-six Australian adults are expected to have had an entry into the draw.

The Lott spokesman Anna Hobdell said if the Powerball winner would expect to receive their multimillion-dollar prize before the end of the month.

“There would be no better way to end the final months of 2023 with a division one win in the bank on October 19 – it would undoubtedly set the family up for a magical Christmas season,” she said.

“Our Powerball winners have described their division one win as a beacon of hope and positivity, which has drawn them closer to their lifelong dreams and long-held aspirations, whether they’re big or small.”