$5m winning Lotto ticket sold in Invercargill

Sunday, 16 August 2020

Collingwood Foodcentre counter staff member Ben McDonald said the $5 million Lotto ticket sold at the shop was the biggest win he had seen in the three years that he had worked there

An Invercargill Lotto winner is $5 million richer after Saturday's night draw.

The Invercargill ticket was bought at Collingwood Foodcentre was one of the ten winners from around the country winning a $5 million share of the $50 million Powerball jackpot.

Collingwood Foodcentre manager Rachel Bryce said it was very exciting to have such a big winner in Southland.

Collingwood Foodcentre staff member Ben McDonald had been working the lotto counter over the weekend and believes he could have sold the winning ticket.

The shop had sold more than $15 million in winning Lotto tickets but it was probably the biggest amount won in the three years he had worked there, McDonald said.

Although the store might be just lucky, the large amount of winners in the past probably attracted people to buy tickets from the foodcentre, he said.

The store had been very busy all week selling lotto tickets, there were a lot of people in the shop on Saturday but Wednesday’s draw also attracted to the people to the store, he said.

Invercargill resident Murray Jones came in the store to check his ticket although his winnings were much smaller than the $5 million.

Jones regularly bought his ticket at the Foodcentre but more because it was close to where he lived than anything else.

During his time playing he had won a few third division draws but nothing major, he said.

There were no First Division winners, so the jackpot rolled down to Powerball Second Division, where there were 10 winners. The winning tickets were sold at the following stores: Collingwood Foodcentre (Invercargill), Melodys’ New World (Palmerston North), Andrew Spence Pharmacy (Napier), MyLotto (Tauranga), My Lotto (Auckland) and the Lincoln Heights Superette (Auckland).

* Good luck comes in threes for Lotto winners

* One million split two ways for Napier and Renwick lotto players

* Two lucky Lotto winners on the North and South Island will take $500,000 home

Meanwhile, 10 Lotto players will also be celebrating after winning a $100,000 share of Lotto First Division. A winning ticket for that draw was sold at the Wyndham Four Square in Wyndham.