Syndicate of 10 strangers win Oz Lotto's $30m prize
The man who picked the winning numbers in last night’s 30 million Lotto draw won’t win a cent.
The West Australian Lotto kiosk manager said he chose the numbers because he noticed they hadn’t come up for a while – but then sold the ticket to a syndicate of 10 strangers.
They went on to win last night's Oz Lotto $30m division one prize.
The first two syndicate members - a southern suburb's couple and a woman from Belmont - today came forward to claim their share of the prize.
The couple said they intended to share the winnings with family and take a holiday - flying first class. The other winner had booked a cruise before last night's draw and had dreams about receiving a Lotto windfall before going on holiday.
The extraordinary details of the win emerged today but the winners are yet to come forward and claim their prizes.
The multimillion-dollar win has only been matched three times in WA in 2001, 2007 and 2013.
Lotterywest has revealed a 'retailer group syndicate' was created by the Lucky Lottery Centre at Garden City Shopping Centre and Reeds Lottery Centre in Fremantle.
The System 12 syndicate cost the 10 players $95 each.
The winning numbers are 26, 9, 42, 39, 32, 40 and 44.
Boorogoon lottery centre owner Soon-Chiang Yong picked the winning numbers in the $30 million jackpot #perthnews. pic.twitter.com/TaVvvMChwO
— Claire Tyrrell (@Claire_Tyrrell) May 27, 2015
A further 73,331 local Lotto players picked up prizes last night, including two division two winners who will take home $24,363.
Lucky Lottery Centre owner Soon-Chiang Yong said he chose the numbers for the winning syndicate.
"I can't believe it. It feels great to know these numbers were the winning ones," he said.
"I based them on previous draws and selected ones which had not come up in a while. I hoped for the best and I'm thrilled with the result."
Mr Yong said he was hoping luck would continue on the syndicates he has set up for tomorrow night's $50 million Powerball jackpot.
The draw is the largest Lotto prize offered across the nation this year.
Lotterywest spokeswoman Pina Compagnone said WA was on a winning streak, with four Division 1 Lotto wins in less than a week.
“Lady luck is certainly surrounding our State,” Ms Compagnone said.
“We’ve had three millionaires and now a multimillionaire in less than a week.”
A $50 million Powerball jackpot – the biggest jackpot on offer in Australia so far this year – will be up for grabs on Thursday.
“The $50 million jackpot is the highest Lotto prize to be offered across the nation this year and if WA’s recent history is anything to go by, we might just see luck strike again,” Ms Compagnone said.
News break - May 26
