One winner scoops $107m in Powerball record

A Sydney mother in her 40s says she won’t be quitting her job after scooping $107 million in Australia’s largest ever individual lottery prize.

One woman from Sydney has scooped up an extraordinary $107.57 million in a record Powerball draw overnight.

Although the Powerball prize had been set at $100 million, it blew out an extra $7 million by the large numbers of investors who bought tickets in a bid to take out the top prize.

Channel 7 announced late Thursday night that a registered Powerball ticket buyer in NSW had won the record amount and was in the process of being contacted by lottery authorities.

The Lott then confirmed via Twitter that the single winner was a mother in her 40s from inner city Sydney.

Tonight’s $100 million Powerball jackpot is one for the record books with a mother in her 40s from inner city Sydney taking home the entire $100 million Powerball jackpot.

STORY: https://t.co/SnfuCq1ElH pic.twitter.com/q2YYdoxCIz

— the Lott (@theLott) January 17, 2019

The Lott contacted the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, directly after the draw to inform her of her life-changing win.

“I don’t understand — is this actually real?” she said.

“I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it. Is this a trick?”

The registered player also misheard the eye-watering figure, thinking she had walked away with just $107,000.

“Wait — are you telling me I’ve won $107 million? Oh my god. That is just so much money,” she told Australia’s official lottery provider over the phone.

The woman, a healthcare provider, revealed she won’t be quitting her job. She plans to share her winnings with her family, give “a whole slab of money” to her favourite charity, and perhaps even “buy a caravan and travel around”.

“I’m so passionate about my job. It will drive me to do more health work for causes important to me,” she told The Lott. “I’m not quite sure what to do but of course I will be helping my family.”

For now, a glass of wine to celebrate.

“I’m not sure how I will be able to sleep tonight, but for now I’m going to go have a cheap glass of chardonnay,” she said.

It is believed the woman is a regular Lotto entrant, however decided to purchase a ticket on Wednesday with “random numbers”.

Customers hoping to get lucky in the 100 million Powerball at a newsagency in Scarborough, WA. Picture: Steve Holland

Meanwhile, the second division prize of $1.89 million was shared by 20 winners each getting a payout of $94,792.

The winning numbers drawn in Thursday’s $100 million Powerball were 4, 11, 18, 20, 22, 26, 33 and the Powerball number was 9.

The draw came after a delay of more than 30 minutes, during which some impatient investors vented their frustrations on Twitter.

@aimz236 tweeted “C’mon powerball I could really use that 100 million”, while @Crypto—Aussie tweeted “Come onn #Powerball”.

On Twitter, others joked about having to watch the program running on 7 Two as viewers waited for the draw, with @awesomepjones tweeting “if I win #Powerball I’m buying the Murdoch Mysteries tapes and burning them”.

These are the winning numbers in tonight's $100m Powerball draw. Picture: thelott.com.

The winning prize of $107m, plus division prizes for tonight's Powerball. Picture: thelott.com.

It was the second major delay in Powerball after the draw was held up due to technical glitches just last week.

Thousands of Aussies were in the rush to buy tickets for this week’s Powerball, with many choosing their numbers very carefully ahead of the huge $100 million jackpot draw.

With the equal highest jackpot amount in Powerball history on the line, some people knew all too well how just one number can come between you and becoming an instant millionaire.

Despite no one taking home the division one prize last week, there were 15 division two winning entries that were just one number off winning the life-changing division one prize.

If I win the #Powerball I’m buying the Murdoch Mysteries tapes and burning them

— zippyfc (@awesompjones) January 17, 2019

Cmon #powerball i could really use that 100 million..

— Amy (@aimz236) January 17, 2019

Come onn 😫😢 #Powerball pic.twitter.com/E2CrbpSjxL

— Crypto Aussie (@Crypto_Aussie) January 17, 2019

15 people were just one number away from becoming millionaires. Picture: The Lott

The only number the division two winners were missing was the Powerball and what’s even worse is there was one simple thing they could have done to ensure they had it.

Spokeswoman for the Lott, Bronwyn Spencer, said the entrants would be “kicking themselves”.

“Imagine getting all of the seven winning numbers from the main barrel, but missing out on the jackpot because you didn’t have that all important Powerball number,” she said.

“While the division two winners did take home over $80,000 in prize money each, I am sure they are kicking themselves for not getting a PowerHit entry, an entry that guarantees you the Powerball number.”

Last year 14 division one winners took home $344 million between them. Ms Spencer said that PowerHit entries counted for around a quarter of the winners.

The Powerball will be drawn at 8.30pm AEST.

“We also found that almost two-thirds were QuickPick entries, where the numbers were randomly generated by the lottery terminal,” she said.

Ms Spencer suggested that hopeful entrants should take note of the game’s “hot” and “cold” numbers when making their decision.

“While Powerball is a random game of chance, and every number has an equal chance of being drawn, there are some numbers we have seen drawn out of the barrel more often than others,” she said.

“Players interested in trying their hand at choosing their numbers may mark ‘hot’ numbers in the hope they live up to their reputation of being drawn more often.

“Or would they choose to use ‘cold’ numbers in the belief their turn to be drawn is just around the corner?”

Some players favour steering clear of these numbers all together, instead choosing ones in between.

Ms Spencer suggests knowing what the ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ numbers are for the draw. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

‘HOT’ WINNING NUMBERS

Winning numbers: 32 and 29

Times drawn: 13 and 12

For the main barrel, where seven winning numbers are drawn from 35, the ‘hot’ number is 32, having been drawn 13 times.

‘COLD’ WINNING NUMBERS

Winning numbers: 1, 10, 11, 12, 21 and 27

Times drawn: Each drawn 4 times

There are several numbers that have only been drawn four times during the same period, the lowest of any number from the main barrel.

‘HOT’ POWERBALL NUMBERS

For the separate Powerball barrel, where a single Powerball number between one and 20 is drawn, there are three numbers that have been drawn more than any other.

Powerball numbers: 3, 13 and 19

Times drawn: Each drawn 4 times.

‘COLD’ POWERBALL NUMBERS

At the same time, there are several Powerball numbers that have never been drawn during the past eight months.

Powerball numbers: 1, 2, 4 and 18

Times drawn: 0