A Perth man in his 60s is preparing to retire earlier than expected after winning a second Division One lottery prize, more than a decade after pocketing $3 million in an earlier jackpot.
The South Perth resident has won $1.8 million in a recent Saturday Lotto Superdraw, adding to the $3 million share he received in 2015 as part of a 10-member syndicate that split a $30 million OZ Lotto jackpot.
“This time, I’ll be able to transition into retirement sooner than I had planned,” he said.
The winner said his first win had helped his family.
“When I won 11 years ago, we took a holiday, cleared some debt and helped out the kids,” he said.
Reflecting on his second Division One prize, he acknowledged just how rare the experience is.
“I didn’t play for a while after the first win, but I like to play when there are big jackpots or Superdraw weekends, and I also play weekly in a syndicate with my friends,” he said.
“After this win, enough is enough! I’m going to enjoy my retirement with my wife.”
According to Lotterywest, the odds of winning Division One in Saturday Lotto are one in 8,145,060 for a single standard game, while winning twice is estimated to be about one in 66.3 trillion.
For his latest win, the man used favourite numbers based on his parents’ birthdays and combinations from birthdays within his immediate family, which he has played in various forms for about eight years.
He purchased the winning ticket at Palmyra Supa News and discovered he had won after checking his numbers online on Saturday night.
“I went to the newsagency where I buy my tickets and the newsagent said to me, ‘What are you doing here on a Monday? Did you know we had a winner?’ and I said, ‘I do actually, I think it’s me,” the man said.
“I haven’t even told my wife yet, last time she didn’t believe me, so I thought I’d come and collect the presentation cheque and show her that.”
Across Australia, there were 11 Division One winning entries in Saturday Lotto draw 4687, including three in Western Australia.
Lotterywest spokesperson Jennie Fitzhardinge said syndicates remained a popular way for players to share costs and potentially improve their chances in major draws.
“Syndicates can be a very cost-effective way of playing,” Fitzhardinge said.
“Most retailers will have a range of syndicates on offer, or you can organise your own, as long as you have at least five players and spend at least $5 each.”
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