Last-minute act leads to $20m lotto win

A last-minute decision has led a Victorian man to snag the luckiest ticket in the $20m Powerball, winning the entire jackpot with an entry he purchased 35 seconds before the draw closed.

The winning numbers for Powerball draw 1578 on Thursday were 27, 6, 35, 17, 11, 15, and 26, with the Powerball number 11.

There was a single division one winner who took home the entire $20m jackpot, with 20 division two winners, each taking home $25,539.

Thursday night’s lotto also produced 62 division three winners who won $10,539 each.

The jackpot winner, who lives in the Latrobe Valley in Victoria’s Gippsland region, was shocked to receive the confirmation call from the team at The Lott.

“Oh, happy days!” he said.

“Wonderful! That’s so cool! So awesome!”

He explained he didn’t normally take part in Powerball but thought he’d “have a crack”.

He purchased the ticket at 7.29.25pm, meaning he only had 35s left before the lottery’s draw closed at 7.30pm.

“We don’t normally play Powerball, but tonight I saw it was $20m and thought I’d have a crack at that and have a bit of fun,” he said.

“I bought the ticket with about a minute to go. I picked the numbers myself, a mix of one or two family birthdays and then a few random numbers.”

He said his wife was dumbfounded by the massive win, unable to contain her excitement.

“I can’t believe it. My wife is asking me if it’s real,” he said.

“She’s walking around the house and has poured herself a brandy.”

When asked how he would spend his $20m winnings, he responded with a single word: “Everything”.

“It’s a life-changing moment. This is the best phone call of my life,” he said.

“Well, I reckon an around-the-world trip is called for and after that some investment strategies to set the family up for the future.”