‘I’m at work today’: $150m winner’s surprising first act as Salisbury celebrates the mega win

Salisbury is celebrating Australia’s biggest lottery winner after it was revealed he bought his $150m ticket on a whim while filling up the car with fuel.

One of South Australia’s battler suburbs is celebrating a “drive-thru millionaire”, who won the country’s biggest lotto jackpot on a whim after filling up his petrol tank.

The “middle-aged” Adelaide man, who declined to be identified, “randomly” bought the $150m winning ticket from the OTR Salisbury Drive Thru, Salisbury, for Powerball draw 1462 on Thursday night.

But despite becoming the country’s newest multi-millionaire, the man shocked workplaces across Australia when he confessed he would continue life as normal – including turning up for work on Friday.

Locals in Salisbury, which is considered one of the state’s battler suburbs in Adelaide’s north, celebrated the unlikely win in the nationwide draw. It caps a remarkable history for the Salisbury Council area with major lottery wins, after two major jackpots recently drawn at the adjacent Mawson Lakes.

One lucky South Aussie is $150m richer after winning tonight's Powerball!

Read more 👉 https://t.co/TjfiuyJpm6pic.twitter.com/jsXF5oIrGs

— The Advertiser (@theTiser) May 23, 2024

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The area has an above average rate of unemployment and residents who earn less money per week than South Australian’s median weekly income.

After a sleepless night as his dreams at being the sole heir to the nine-figure fortune sunk in, the winner told how he screamed and jumped for joy when his released his life had instantly changed.

Despite scooping the epic windfall he plans to keep his feet on the ground, including keeping his job but will splurge on a new house and overseas travel.

“I know it may sound crazy but I’m going to continue working – I’m at work today,” he said in a statement issued through lottery officials. “I’ll buy a house, want to travel the world and I’ve got a family and friends I want to help, but for now I can’t wrap my head around how big this prize is. This is life changing.

“I can’t stop smiling and pinching myself.

“I’ve never screamed so loud or jumped so high.

Hans, 72, and Steven Parker, 48, (right) would use the money to take care of his family and donate to charity. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

He said he had bought two tickets after filling up at the Salisbury Highway petrol station shortly before the draw.

“I just bought my ticket as I was filling up the car the other day,” he said.

“I can’t believe I walked away with the winning ticket.

“I actually had two tickets into (the) draw.

“I looked at the clock (Thursday) night and saw it was getting late and thought the draw should have been done by then.

“So, I checked the first one and it came up with nothing, then I scanned the second one and it said $150 million.”

His identity remains a closely guarded secret, having only given permission for lottery chiefs to describe him as an Adelaide-based, “middle aged”, man. The $150m prize is tied for the third biggest prize ever offered by the lottery game. But all the more lucrative draws were won by multiple winners or syndicates.

There were also 4,433,211 winners across divisions two to nine draw who collectively took home more than $89.3m.

The grand winner, however, may be able to gain tips from the Shahin family, who launched the $1.2bn OTR convenience and petrol empire in 1984 before selling its lucrative brand to Viva Energy last year.

OTR area manager Matt Di Virgilio looks forward to seeing the lucky winner in store soon. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

OTR area manager Matt Di Virgilio said his team would love to welcome back the “lucky winner” to shout a few $3 Moe’s hot dogs.

“I reckon he could probably shout a few of those hot dogs to all the staff and his family and friends and all that at $3,” he said.

“I reckon he’s got a little bit of disposable income to spare now.” He said it was exciting to have an SA winner.

“We often have so many interstate winners so to not only have one from South Australia but from one of our OTR stores is incredible.”

While it is unknown which staff member sold the winning ticket, Mr Di Virgilio said the team was over the moon.

“The staff are stoked, they’re a bit star struck and there’s a buzz around the store.

“They’re all trying to work out who sold the ticket but it’s great.”

The winning ticket was bought at the OTR Salisbury Drive Thru. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

Outside the station, local residents shared their excitement at the epic cash haul.

Adam Bowering, 54, who lives nearby, said he wished he bought a ticket. Mr Bowering said he’d use the millions to buy a house and take his family on a holiday if he had been the lucky winner of the jackpot. “I’d buy a house for my children, go on holidays to America, (my) wife wants to go to Switzerland,” he said.

Childcare educators popping out for lunch, Tasmyn Grace Steele, 22, and Ellie Barkell, 33, were surprised at the result. “It’s so crazy,” Ms Steele said. Her friend added: “I’m so jealous.” The pair said they would buy a ticket next time and use their potential winnings to find investment properties and overseas trips.

Childcare educators, Ellie Barkell, 33, and Tasmyn Grace Steele, 22, would use the millions to travel overseas. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

Philip Pierre, 54, who also lives locally and said it was “amazing” the winning ticket had been sold in the area.

He said he would now buy a ticket but wouldn’t tell anyone if he won.

“I wouldn’t know where to start with the money,” he said.

“The first things I’d have to do is lock my door because everyone would be knocking on it.”

Barista Antonia, 59, said the ‘life-changing’ $150m would become a burden. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

Salisbury Shopping Centre barista Antonia, 59, also said it would be great if the winner was a local but that it would have been nicer if there had been more winners. “It would have been nice if a lot more people had won it and it had been shared, especially in the north as people do it a bit harder,” she said.

She also said the “life-changing” sum may become a burden for the sole winner.

“$150m is too much [responsibility] they’re gonna feel very lucky today but at some point it’s also going to be a burden.

“It’d be impossible to keep a secret, you can’t hide $150 million dollars.”

Rigger Steven Parker, 48, isn’t a gambling man but said if he had won the money, he would take care of his family and donate some to Ronald McDonald House.

“I’d want to do some good with it, the Ronald McDonald House helped me out once so that’s definitely one,” he said.

Salisbury Mayor Gillian Aldridge said it was great to see the lucky streak continue.