The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, found out she won when checking her ticket on Thursday morning last week, but still went straight to work – not even telling her family.
“I didn’t want to say anything until I had confirmed it – but I really don’t know how I spent the day at work, it was all a bit of a daze to be honest.
“My son even called me to tell me someone local had won and asked me if I had checked my ticket and I just casually said, ‘Nah, I’ll check it when I get home later’.”
After work, the woman went back to New World Whitby and quietly whispered to the Lotto operator: “I think it’s me … I think I’m the winner."
The operator checked her ticket, gave her a subtle nod and took her to the office.
“It was all very discreet and professional, which was great. They congratulated me and we filled in the paperwork.
“I was shaking like a leaf, and my stomach was in knots. I could barely hold the coffee they made me.”
After claiming her win, the woman waited for her family to get home.
“I started casually asking them what they would do if they won Powerball … and then I said, ‘Well, now we can do all that – because it’s me – I won the $17.2 million’.
“It felt great – there was lots of cheering and tears as everyone realised what this meant for us.”
The woman spent a quiet weekend with her family coming to terms with their new reality.
“It feels like such a weight has been lifted now, but it’s going to take a lot to get my head around. I went out with my daughter because I needed some new boots … and I still found myself looking at the prices.
“She pointed at some that were over $500 – I couldn’t justify it – that’s the grocery shop for a fortnight.”
Instead she bought a $99 pair.
“I call them my 17.2 million-dollar boots.”
The woman and her family are busy making lots of plans for their future, the woman said.
Their win would help them pay off mortgages, buy homes, experience overseas holidays, and most importantly, set the children and grandchildren up well into the future, she said.
“It’s life-changing, and I’m forever grateful for it.”
