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'Painfully close': Aussie's one-number mistake costs her $500m US lotto win

A NSW woman went close to winning $500 million in a US lottery draw over the weekend, winning a division three prize instead.

The Sydney resident has spent $23.50 on tickets with The Lottery Office agency since April, and was just one number away from winning the US Mega Millions jackpot.

“The winning numbers were 10, 13, 32, 41, 51 (3) and the player’s numbers were painfully close to taking home the entire jackpot,” The Lottery Office CEO Jaclyn Wood said in a press release.

“To win division 1 and more than $500 million, our Australian player needed to match one more number. Unfortunately, the final number drawn was 51 and she had number 50. It was incredibly close!

There was no winner, and the prize jackpotted.

Picture shows a lottery ticket and a US 100 dollar. bill. A woman from Sydney was very close to winning half a million dollars in a. US lottery draw
A woman from Sydney was just one number off winning $500 million in a US lottery draw. Source: Getty

Ms Woods said it would have been the biggest lottery win ever seen in Australia if the Sydneysider had won.

The woman however did win a a division three prize of $9,200 after taxes and she was extremely thankful for the win.

“If I had won the full jackpot I would have retired and, after the pandemic, travelled the world,” the division 3 winner said.

“Still, winning $9,200 from spending $23.50 is nothing to sneeze at! I was planning a trip to Hawaii before international borders closed so I will be putting my winnings towards this holiday.”

When an Australian purchases a ticket through The Lottery Office, a matching ticket in the overseas draw in purchased by The Lottery Office, allowing for local punters to win big.

Recently, a man from Western Australia won $1.8 million in a $20 million Lotto Superdraw.

Before his win, his wife was not happy he had even purchased a ticket, but she changed her tune when he won the Division One prize.

If gambling is a problem for you go to Gambling Help Online or call 1800 858 858.

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