A Murupara forestry worker who won $12 million in Saturday’s Powerball draw had to ask for a day off work to claim his prize, the New Zealand Herald reports.
The winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is one of two Lotto ticket-holders splitting $24 million from the weekend’s Powerball draw.
He said he asked his boss for a day off to make the six-hour drive from the small central North Island town to Wellington to collect his winnings.
“When I told him I needed Monday off, he asked if I had won Lotto, so I had to say yes.
“We decided to drive down yesterday with some family to the big smoke to claim our prize today. We also checked our ticket on the way down in Taihape just to be completely sure that we had right numbers.”
The man and his partner claimed the prize today. The two winning tickets each won $11,853,233 from Powerball and $200,000 from their share of Lotto First Division.
The couple stayed in Wellington last night and celebrated their win with a steak dinner at the Hotel Bristol in Cuba Street.
Murupara, with a population of around 2000, had been buzzing with news of the win, he said.
“It’s been huge news in the town since the Lotto results came out on Saturday night. Everyone has been talking about it, and hoping it has been won by a local – which it has!”
The couple lived in a rented house but planned to buy their own home outright and travel after they collected the prize.
The man said he would like to buy a boat as well as it had been a long-time dream.
“I love fishing and diving, so buying a new boat would be a dream come true.”
The man bought the winning ticket from Murupara Four Square. Store owner Graeme Kirk said he found out about the win when a worker text messaged him at 11 o’clock on Saturday night.
He said the store had sold five other first division winning Lotto tickets, but this was the largest amount won yet. The news was spreading about the store’s luck with Lotto, he said