The winner of Australia’s second-ever biggest lottery prize took a long lunch break to decide whether he would quit his job.
The father, from Chatswood on Sydney’s lower north shore, was in disbelief after winning $96million in a Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot lottery draw on Tuesday.
The office worker won first prize after spending just $5.50 on the ticket.
‘It’s unlikely that I am going to finish the day out at work. I’m pretty sure I’ll quit,’ he said after receiving the news. ‘My endless lunch-break starts now.’
The lucky winner of Australia’s second largest lotto prize was left stunned after hearing the news before saying it was time for him to take an endless lung break
The Lott spokeswoman Lauren Cooney was tasked with calling the winner and relived that moment with Sydney radio Nova 96.9 personalities Fitzy & Wippa.
‘I knew straight away that this man was in his office, he told me he was at work so I told him it was probably a good idea to find a bit more of a quiet space so I could tell him this news,’ she told Ryan Fitzgerald and Michael Wipfli.
‘I said there was one person today in Sydney who has won $96million in today’s lucky lottery mega jackpot draw and it was you.
‘There was definitely a lot of colourful words.’
Ms Cooney said she had to convince the man her call wasn’t a joke.
‘He said that he was quite a prankster himself and he thought that he was being punked,’ she said.
It was Australia’s second-biggest ever prize won by a single person, after a Sydney woman won $107million playing Powerball in January.
The man was almost speechless after hearing the news but he did manage to find some words once the reality started to set in.
It was Australia’s second-biggest ever prize won by a single person, after a Sydney woman won $107million playing Powerball in January
‘I can only say holy sh*t, Jesus Christ. I’m at work at the moment so I wasn’t expecting this phone call’he told Lauren on Tuesday.
‘I’m shaking. I’m just waiting for someone to tell me I’m being punked.
‘It’s unlikely that I am going to finish the day out at work. I’m pretty sure I’ll quit. My endless lunch-break starts now!’
He also didn’t think his wife would even believe he had won the massive jackpot.
‘I can’t wait to call my wife and tell her I have won. I don’t think she’ll believe me,’ he said.
‘I’m a bit of a prankster so she’ll probably think I’m pulling a fast one.’
After being told of his life changing luck the man told Lauren the changes would begin almost immediately.
It has been almost three years since the Lucky Lotteries jackpotted.
The $96million prize is more than 12 times the size of a $7.48million Lucky Lotteries jackpot won by a woman from Rydalmere, in Sydney’s west, in January 2017.
He will receive the entire $96million in one lump sum payment.
‘I don’t think he will really believe it until he sees it (in his bank account) to be honest,’ Ms Cooney said.
He said he planned to use some of his winnings to help his children with their futures.
‘This is going to change my life immeasurably,’ he said.
‘I’m going to look after my kids and make sure they are set up for the future.’
He also planned a wild holiday.
‘Then I am going to find the most outrageous holiday I can think of to take myself on,’ he said.
‘I’ve always wanted to travel so maybe I’ll work my way around the world.’
Ms Cooney said it was common for her to have to convince the winners it isn’t a prank.
‘A lot of people we call whether it is a Saturday lotto to say it’s one million, there’s definitely a lot of people don’t believe us, some threaten to call the police if we keep calling them,’ she said.
‘They eventually check their ticket and work out we have very good intentions.’
The office worker from Chatswood, on Sydney’s lower north shore, won first prize after spending $5.50 on a Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot ticket