19 Oct 2010

Big Lotto winner didn't want to distract wife at work

9:44 pm on 19 October 2010

The winner of a Lotto jackpot worth $28,710,403 initially discarded the prize ticket, thinking he had won nothing.

The man, who wants to remain anonymous, is described as a family man from Papakura.

But New Zealand Lotteries has released some details about the life-changing win.

The man checked his ticket on Saturday, and thinking it was not a winner, threw it on the floor.

He only rechecked it on Monday, after hearing it had been sold at a Papakura petrol station.

Lotteries says the winner showed it to his daughter, and they both went crazy when they realized what he had won.

The man's wife was at work at the time and he did not tell her because he did not want her distracted.

When he picked her up after work, he says he told his wife she needed to shake his hand if she wanted to meet New Zealand's latest millionaire.

The new Lotto millionaire says they will sit down as a family and decide what to do with the millions, but he is looking forward to more pig hunting, diving and fishing.

Lotteries spokesperson Karen Jones says he is keen to remain in Papakura, and has intentions of giving some of his windfall to charity.

Listen to Karen Jones on Checkpoint