Living in a dream but unable to sleep, one winner contemplates the future

By Kate Northrop

INDOOROOPILLY, Australia — An Australian woman couldn't sleep after finding out she won a jackpot from the Australian Lottery's Oz Lotto game, but one restless night isn't so bad of a price to pay for suddenly becoming $30 million (US$ 20.2 million) richer.

A Forest Lake woman and her husband were so stunned they couldn't speak after she discovered her division one winning ticket had just won a $30 million Oz Lotto prize from the drawing on July 5.

On Thursday morning, the winner contacted lottery officials with details of her win and told them about the dreamlike experience of winning the lottery.

After her husband had come home following the draw, he told her that there had been a winner in Brisbane and suggested that they check their ticket. Like most unsuspecting players, she doubted she would have won anything significant.

While checking her ticket, she did find that it was indeed a prize-winning entry, but not the amount she suspected.

"At first, we thought I'd won $30,000," the winner told The Lott. "Then we double-checked the ticket, and I remember thinking, 'oh my goodness, we've won $30 million!'"

Unfortunately, she did not get a wink of sleep the following night, but that was likely not at all concerning to her.

"It's a dream," she elaborated. "I was lying awake last night thinking about all the ways our lives are about to change."

The first goal on the couple's to-do list is buying their first home. Once that is squared away, they want to set up their finances so that they and their families will be secure for the future to come.

"We can't even imagine what $30 million will look like!" the woman continued. "Even though we know it will change our lives forever, we're adamant that we won't let it change us as people."

The anonymous player bought her winning ticket at Metro News on 1st at the Indooroopilly Shopping Center on Moggill Road in Indooroopilly. It was the only division one winning ticket in the July 5 draw.

Staff at the retailer were so excited to find out that they had sold a jackpot-winning ticket that they themselves felt like they won the lottery.

"To have sold a division one winning entry is fantastic," Metro News on 1st senior employee Carol Hinds said in a press release. "There's been a buzz around the store since we discovered we'd sold the winning entry."

On behalf of the entire team at the retailer, Hinds said she wishes nothing but the best for the newfound lottery winners.

"We'd like to wish them all the best and congratulate them on their life-changing win," she continued. "Hopefully the win makes all of your dreams come true."

The winning numbers for the Oz Lotto drawing on Tues., July 5, 2022 were 2, 17, 20, 22, 29, 31, and 41, with supplementary numbers 7, 18, and 36. Players must beat the odds of 1 in 62,891,499 and match all seven numbers between 1 and 47 to win the jackpot.

"The rest of our lives are going to be very different to what we had envisioned, but we can't wait to start this new journey... I feel like I need to pinch myself again to make sure it's real," the winner finished.

Thanks to dannyct for the tip.