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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times

'The machine said keep ticket, go to counter': Coast man's $1.3 million win

A Narooma man who has been playing the same special numbers for more than 25 years was left in shock after they won him more than $1.3 million in the weekend's Saturday Lotto draw.

The South Coast resident held one of the four division one-winning entries in Saturday Lotto draw 4411, drawn last weekend, and took home $1,311,960.34.

The winner discovered his ticket had won a prize on Thursday morning but didn't realise how big it was until speaking with an official from The Lott.

Susan Shelley and Deb Walker from Silly Willy's Discounts. Picture supplied

"Wow! I don't know whether to cheer, laugh or cry," he said.

"I had no idea. I thought I had won something like $11,000. This is incredible.

"I checked my ticket at a newsagency and the machine said, 'Keep ticket, go to counter'. The woman at the desk said I had won something, but she couldn't see how much and that I needed to call in.

"Anyway, I called my wife and said I think we've won something substantial. She said 'That's nice, dear'.

"I've been playing for over 25 years with the same special numbers. Everyone dreams of receiving a winning phone call, whether it's $40 million or $1 million!

"I always thought I'd win one day but it really is surreal now that it's reality. "

The man knew exactly how he would spend his winnings.

"I'll be able to buy a house now," he said.

His winning 12-game entry was purchased at Silly Willy's Discounts in Narooma.

The winning numbers were 30, 13, 12, 14, 18 and 35, while the supplementary numbers were 43 and 2.

Silly Willy's Discounts owners Matthew and Sarah Nolan said they were overjoyed to have sold their first-ever division one-winning entry.

"We're a new outlet and this is the first division one entry we've sold so we're over the moon," Matthew said.

"It's an amazing feeling. We feel so lucky to have been able to help make someone's dreams come true. We've already started decorating our counter with balloons, and signs and sharing the good news with our customers."

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