A couple in Melbourne, Australia, experienced a significant change in fortune after discovering a forgotten lottery ticket on their fridge had made them millionaires.
The grandparents were surprised to learn that the ticket, which had been placed on their refrigerator door and left there for several days, was actually worth $13 million ($20 million AUD).
Fortunately, the ticket was not lost; it had just been overlooked for a few days after the lottery draw.
On Thursday, September 4, The Lott announced the results of the Powerball draw that had a prize pool of over $50 million.
Residing in Melbourne’s upscale Brighton neighborhood, the couple was unaware they had one of the four division-winning entries, entitling them to a large portion of the prize money.
Since the couple was not registered with The Lott’s members club, the organization initially had difficulty reaching them.
The company had to wait until the winners realized their good fortune and stepped forward.
The couple eventually noticed the ticket, which could have been a costly oversight, sitting casually on their fridge.
“That’s insane! I’m in shock!” the wife reportedly told The Lott.
“This is unbelievable. We had no idea, and this whole time the ticket was just sitting on our fridge.”
She admitted that both she and her husband had been ‘really busy,’ which led to them forgetting to compare their Powerball ticket to the winning numbers amid life’s chaos.
The woman also shared that the numbers leading to their win were selected entirely at random.
“Oh wow. It was just a QuickPick, but I see my lucky number is here, and some family birthdays and anniversaries. It was meant to be,” she added.
The couple, who chose to remain anonymous, have worked diligently their entire lives and now plan to use their winnings primarily to benefit their children and grandchildren.
As a personal treat, they intend to purchase a ‘little house’ for themselves.
“We have bought tickets on and off for years. I can’t believe it,” the wife continued. “Heck! I don’t know if I should keep working or retire.
“I’ve had a radical change of plans for the day, that’s for sure. It will take a long time for this to sink in.”
The Lott disclosed that the ticket was purchased at a store in East Brighton. The winning numbers were 9, 22, 23, 3, 13, 28, and 32, with Powerball number 5.
The news agency owner, Sajjad Sadeghi Goorbandi, who sold the ticket, expressed his excitement: “I can’t believe it! This is the best news.
“This is actually the first Division One winning ticket we’ve sold since I took over ownership two years ago.”
He expressed his happiness and extended his congratulations to the winners.