$80 million Powerball: Perth gym mates take home jackpot
A group of 55 gym members in Perth have been revealed to be the lucky winners of Thursday’s $80 million Powerball — scoring $1.5 million each.
Sue, the owner of Curves gym and one of the members of the syndicate, told Triple M Breakfast on Friday morning the group of women discovered the huge win while out for their Christmas dinner.
She said she and some of the members were at an Italian restaurant when one of their husbands called to tell them they had pocketed the nation's third-biggest lottery ever.
“So I got the ticket out and we checked the numbers and you should have seen the restaurant, it went into absolute chaos,” she told Triple M while laughing.
“That’s where we found out.”
Sue said the group of women were aged from their 30s up to 84.
“I’ve just had the greatest morning ringing people to tell them they’ve won $1.5 million,” she said while crying.
She said she hasn’t been able to get a hold of 10 people yet but that a group of the winners were headed to Lottery West on Friday morning.
“For me, I own this gym, and I work my bum off and it’s been really tough with Covid and all the rest...but to win this and to share it with 55 of the most amazing women that I work with every day, it’s the greatest thing ever and I feel so blessed that I’ve been able to share it with them,” Sue said with a trembling voice.
She said the win is “life-changing” and the members are “beside themselves”.
Some members declined to join lottery syndicate
Sue said her husband was recently made redundant and had been worried about what the future holds.
“So this has taken that all away so we don’t have to worry anymore - life’s good,” she said, adding that she will continue to work at the gym.
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“These ladies are my life,” the gym owner said, adding that members had contributed $5 each to the lotto fund.
Sue told Triple M some women declined to pitch in the money, which she described as “heartbreaking”.
She said she and her husband were going to go out for dinner on Friday night to celebrate.
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