Earlier this week it was revealed an Auckland woman unwittingly had a winning Lotto ticket in a drawer for four months before discovering it was worth $333,333.
The woman, who did not want to be named, held the golden ticket with a collection of unchecked tickets and only last week took them to get scanned before her grocery shop.
“I tend to buy tickets now and then and stick them in a drawer … then eventually I’ll check them all at once,” she said.
“It feels surreal. You buy tickets with a bit of hope, but you don’t really think it’s going to happen to you.”
Her first priority was a new car, to help family and then “maybe have a little holiday”.
She said she only played “occasionally” and missed the news that a big prize had been won in St Heliers in June.
Lotto New Zealand twice put out reminders of the unclaimed Four Square St Heliers win after three lucky players split the draw’s $1 million jackpot.
The woman popped into a Lotto store on the way to the supermarket early last week.
“The winning music played, and the operator very quietly handed me a slip of paper with the amount on it.
“It was a bit of a surprise – a very pleasant one of course. I had to look twice to make sure I was reading it correctly.”
Instead of doing her food shop she went straight home and told her husband who was equally surprised.
“I’ve learned my lesson too. I won’t be letting my tickets build up in the drawer anymore.”
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