Two Wellington work colleagues have finally won big in Lotto after buying tickets together for four years.
The pair won $500,000 with Lotto First Division last week. Previously, they had always purchased a Dip ticket with the same Powerball number, but about three weeks ago they decided to change their routine and pick their own numbers. They chose half the numbers each and thought they'd see how they got on.
On Wednesday night, the man checked the numbers since it was his turn. As he tuned in to watch the live Lotto draw, he was speechless as all six of their new shared numbers showed up.
"I checked the ticket again and again and asked my wife to check as well. When it dawned on us that the ticket was a winner, we cracked open a bottle of Baileys with our son, and called our daughter, who shared a drink over the phone with us," he said.
Since it was late at night by then, he stashed the ticket safely away in his wallet and started to plan how he would surprise his colleague the next day.
"The next morning I popped into my local Lotto store on the way to work and confirmed our win. When I got to work and saw my colleague, I couldn't hold it in. I pulled her aside and shared the news right then and there. The look on her face was priceless," he said.
"She was absolutely over the moon. We'd joked over the years that our Lotto ticket had occasionally won us what we called 'petrol money', so to share this big win together was neat."
The winning Lotto First Division ticket was sold at New World Newlands in Wellington for the draw on Wednesday, May 11.
