How woman’s cancelled holiday turned into $1 million lottery win

A woman, whose European holiday was cancelled due to the pandemic, has come out on top as a big winner.

Nothing good comes from a cancelled holiday – unless, of course, you’re this woman from South Australia.

After being forced to scrap her plans for a European summer with her husband because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the woman from Morphett Vale instead spent the loose change for an Italian gelato on a lotto ticket.

As a result, she walked away $1 million richer after winning Monday’s X Lotto draw.

Speaking of the win, the woman – who has not been identified – said she was supposed to be in Europe at the time of the lotto draw.

“We had to cancel it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.,” she said.

“It’s strange to think that if we had been in Europe, I wouldn’t have purchased this ticket and won $1 million.

“It’s safe to say when we do get to go to Europe we’ll be going business class for sure.”

The woman hopes to use her win to fix up the house and book a business class ticket back to Europe when borders allow.

The woman, who is a regular player and purchased her entry at Campbell’s Newsagency Morphett Vale, had one of the two division one winning entries nationally, with the second winner yet to claim their ticket.

“You don’t think it will ever happen to you. It’s just ridiculous. I’m still in shock. It just feels surreal,” the Morphett Vale woman said of the win.

“I was sitting next to my hubby last night while he was watching the footy and I saw the winning numbers come up on the screen.

“I thought to myself ‘a few of those look familiar’ so I went to check my ticket.

“I saw that I had all of the winning numbers and I was screaming out to my husband, ‘I’m a millionaire! I’ve just won $1 million!’”

The woman said the numbers sounded familiar.

Her win comes just two days after an Adelaide couple and an Aldinga Beach player each took home a $740,496.00 division one prize in Saturday’s X Lotto draw, creating four division one winners in South Australia in just two days.

The woman hopes to also use the win to “fix up” a few things around the house, and also help their family out.

“I’m still working, but I might look to retire soon,” she said.

“You never really know what’s ahead. It will be handy to have this as a nest egg.”