‘Hardworking’ man brought to tears after $1 million lottery win. ‘Sick with excitement’
After decades of playing the same numbers in the Australia lottery, one “hardworking” man’s patience finally paid off.
The Kurri Kurri resident said he’d been playing the lottery forever and picked numbers that at one point had sentimental value, according to a Feb. 7 news release from The Lott, the country’s official lottery provider.
“I can’t quite remember the significance of them anymore, it was so long ago,” the player said. “I know there are some birthdays, special events, the kid’s ages and things like that.”
But after years of disappointment, he got “life-changing” news on Feb. 5, according to the Lott.
The player was the winner of the national Weekday Windfall draw — worth $1 million Australian dollars, or about $630,000 in the U.S.
“I’m feeling sick with excitement,” the winner told lottery officials. “This is incredible. I wish I could give you a big hug.”
The winner said if he ever won, he would take some time to think about what to do with his winnings, according to the Lotto.
“It’s been tough lately, so I think we might need a holiday,” he said. “We’ll take a trip somewhere nice just for us.”
As he was on the phone with lottery officials, the winner started to cry.
“You’ve made him cry,” his wife told officials. “It’s very well deserved. He’s such a hard worker and has such a big heart. You have no idea how much this means.”
Kurri Kurri is a town north of Sydney in southeastern Australia.
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 12:52 PM with the headline "‘Hardworking’ man brought to tears after $1 million lottery win. ‘Sick with excitement’."
