Gisborne Lotto winner didn’t check $1m ticket for four days

Gisborne Herald

5 Mar, 2026 02:21 AMQuick Read

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A Gisborne woman who won $1m says she heard someone local had scooped a big Lotto prize but she “didn’t think too much about it” before checking her ticket. Photo / File

A Gisborne woman did not find out she had won $1 million with Lotto First Division in last week’s Wednesday draw until she checked her ticket on Sunday.

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she had heard someone in Gisborne had won a big prize, but she “didn’t
think too much about it”.

She decided to check her ticket on Sunday night while she was on her phone.

“I don’t know what prompted me to check my ticket. I don’t buy one for every draw, so I usually just check when I remember,” she said.

“When I saw what I’d won I shouted, ‘holy heck!’. I just couldn’t believe it.”