-
A Lotto player checks to see if their ticket is the winner. - Source: ONE News -
Related
A Tauranga man who won Big Wednesday's $27 million jackpot said he bought the winning ticket in a "spur-of-the-moment" decision.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he went to get his haircut at AJ's Lotto, which has a hairdresser attached to the back.
"The hairdresser was shut at that time, so I thought I would use the haircut money to get a Big Wednesday ticket instead," he said.
"It was a spur-of-the-moment decision and I can't believe it has resulted in me winning so much money."
The man, who is in his twenties, said he initially checked his ticket on his phone but thought he had not won.
"I must have got the wrong draw, so I thought my ticket was a loser. I chucked it aside and thought 'that was that'."
After all the talk of the unclaimed prize in Tauranga, he thought it might pay to recheck his ticket.
"Once I realised I was a winner, I felt sick, and I pretty much had a sleepless night last night. I kept staring at the ticket and wondering if it was real," he said.
The $27 million win is the third biggest lottery prize in New Zealand.
The man said he planned to take a few days out to let the win sink in, but said he wanted to use the money to help his family out, buy a new car and build his first house.
"I am a bit of a greenie, so I am really keen on sustainable living. It has been my dream to build my own eco-friendly house and live off the grid. That dream is now possible," he said.