Search for Lotto winners as TWELVE Aussies scoop $3.3m on NYE
The search is on for two Lotto winners who have no idea they are entering the new year as multi-millionaires.
An incredible 12 Aussies scored a division one win in Saturday’s $40 million Lotto draw 4325, taking home a whopping $3.3 million each.
Four Queenslanders hold a winning ticket — two of which have yet to be found — while three NSW residents, four Victorians and one punter from Western Australia also hit the jackpot.
As the lucky group starts their 2023 with a bang, others who entered the draw have been urged to check their tickets for the winning numbers: 11, 23, 35, 42, 20, 45, with supplementary numbers 8 and 38.
Queensland Lotto winner 'can't believe it'
One Queensland man revealed he didn’t get a wink of sleep on New Year’s Eve after he checked his Saturday Gold Lotto ticket before bed and realised he was now a multi-millionaire.
“Normally I don’t really check my ticket straight away, but on Saturday night I thought I’d have a quick look,” he told an official from The Lott. “Then I started scrolling, and I could see all six numbers lit up. I told my wife, and we checked the ticket together. I’ve checked it a few times since I can tell you.
“We didn’t get much sleep that night. We just couldn’t believe it. It’s pretty surreal. What a New Year’s Eve present!”
The man said his wife had picked the winning numbers previously, and they’d used them ever since. “Lucky I didn’t forget to put them on this week! Some weeks I do forget,” he said.
A mum from Logan who also scored an incredible $3.3 million said she still doesn’t believe her windfall is real, but is thinking about using the money to change careers and pay off her mortgage.
“At first, I checked another ticket, and I won $35 on that. I was pretty happy with that. Then I checked this ticket! It was a nice surprise!” she said. “It’s definitely come at the right time. It’s going to be a great 2023!”
Two other Queenslanders became multi-millionaires on the weekend but may not realise it. The winning tickets were sold at Extra Orion in Springfield in Brisbane, and Julia Creek News in the Queensland outback town of Julia Creek. Anyone who purchased an entry is encouraged to check their tickets and call The Lott on 131 868 to start the prize claim process.
Victorian Lotto winners rejoice
Four lucky Victorians scored $3.3 million each on Saturday, with one dad from Dandenong admitting he “got a bit teary” when he learned of the incredible news.
“I found out about 1am on New Year’s Day when I came home and thought I’d check my ticket,” he said, adding that he hopes to help his family with the money. “I’ve been playing the same numbers for a number of years. Eventually they’ve come up and it’s at just the right time.”
An oblivious man from Wonthaggi declared 2023 was “his year” after an official from The Lott contacted him on Sunday.
“Are you joking?!” he exclaimed when the enormity of his prize was revealed. “This is not a joke? Sh**! It comes as a shock! This is a lot to take in! You have no idea how much this means to me. I’m going to get a new home for my family.”
A dad from Essendon said his end of year celebrations received quite the boost when he checked his ticket at around 11pm.
“I saw a little icon that I’d had a win, but thought it was probably $30 or something – not $3 million! When I opened it up and saw all the numbers lit up! I just couldn’t believe it,” he said, adding that he hopes to pay off his house and go on holiday with his kids.
“I told my wife we’d won, but she didn’t believe me. I didn’t sleep that night at all. I went to bed at 3am and got up at 4am to check the ticket again.”
NSW couple burst into tears
A husband and wife from Nabiac, on the state’s Mid North Coast, were also unaware they were $3.3 million richer when an official from The Lott tried to contact them on New Year’s Day.
“I always hoped I would get a call like this,” the man exclaimed as his wife cried tears of joy in the background. “It’s awesome! I wish you were here to give you a hug.
“I was in the shower when you first called. Straight up, I thought it was a scam. I thought, ‘why would someone be calling me on New Year’s Day?’. Then I looked at my ticket on The Lott app. Oh my god! I can’t believe it.”
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The “shaking” man admitted he had only purchased his winning ticket minutes before the draw closed on Saturday night.
A Sydney dad said he also didn’t get much sleep after getting home from New Year’s Eve celebrations around 2am. “I just thought I’d check my ticket. When I saw it, my wife initially thought something bad had happened. She asked, ‘what’s wrong?’” he said.
“I had The Lott app open in my hand, my hands were shaking, and when she saw it, we just started jumping up and down. We tried to sleep after that but didn’t get much. I’ve logged into the app to look at the ticket about a thousand times. I just have to keep pinching myself to see that I’m not dreaming.”
A 17-person strong syndicate was the third division one winner in NSW, with each member expected to take home $197,991.
One Western Australian also ended the year on a high after buying a winning ticket from Currambine Lottery Centre.
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