Retired Garbutt couple wins $8.9m Powerball prize
A Townsville couple are Australia’s newest multi-millionaires after today discovering they had won the $8.9 million Powerball prize.
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A Townsville couple are Australia’s newest multi-millionaires after today discovering they had won the $8.9 million Powerball prize.
The retired Garbutt couple, who wished to remain anonymous, took two days to come forward and claim the massive cash prize.
The ticket was unregistered, so officials had no way of contacting the winner. Instead they had to wait for the ticketholder to check their ticket and come forward.
Speaking to an official from the Lott shortly after discovering their win today, the winning woman said her luck had changed.
“We’ve worked hard all our lives and then to just get something this big overnight is unbelievable. It hasn’t sunk in,” she said.
“We checked our ticket last night but didn’t think we had all the numbers.
“When the numbers came up on the telly, my husband went to write them down. But by the time he got the biro, he only caught a few and I think he wrote them down wrong.
“We got hold of the right numbers this morning and checked our ticket again. That’s when we saw we had all the numbers.
“We just looked at each other and I started crying.”
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The woman said she will use some of her millions to help her family and will also make a donation to some charities.
“I’d also love a nice diamond ring – something that will be a family heirloom. It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time. Not sure what my husband wants yet. He’s still thinking about it,” the woman said.
The couple bought the winning ticket from newsXpress Garbutt Central.
Shop owner Ken Ivers said it was the third division one winner he had sold a ticket to.
“That’s a good hit rate. We’re a lucky store and I hope it continues for our customers,” he said.
Originally published as Retired Garbutt couple wins $8.9m Powerball prize