Oz Lotto $20million draw 1498 winner ‘always knew’ he would pocket fortune

A lottery winner who “always knew” he would win with the numbers he’s been playing for 20 years has won a whopping $20 million — but the huge win won’t stop him from going to work every day.

The man from Forster, on the north coast of NSW, had the only winning entry in the Oz Lotto 1498 on Tuesday, meaning he had the full $20 million prize package in his pocket.

“This morning, before going to work, I thought I’d check my ticket. I had a moment, okay, it took a while to register,” he told an official from The Lott when they called on Wednesday to confirm the win.

‘I’m starting to register it now. I’m just drinking coffee now, my wife hasn’t stopped trembling.’

The winning numbers in the Oz Lotto 1498 draw on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 were 31, 13, 30, 9, 26, 6 and 18, while the additional numbers were 37, 16 and 22.

He said the victory was from ‘special songs I’ve been playing for over 20 years’.

He added that he “always knew” he would win and that his family often told him, “If anyone is ever going to win the lottery, it’s you.”

“I’ve always considered myself lucky, and now I have the proof,” he said.

Despite the $20 million profit, the man still worried that he would be late for work.

‘I have to go to work today. I love my job, so I’ll keep working,” he said.

“I’d like to buy a house and buy a new car, just the normal stuff. It will be great to know there is a nest egg.’

“I’m late for work now, so I have to go!”

The man was still getting ready to go to work despite the huge win (photo, queues in Sydney to buy a ticket to last week’s $160 million Powerball)

The man’s winning entry was purchased from NewsXpress in Forster, with team member Michaela Rinkin saying the win was quickly becoming the talk of the town.

Our group chat has gone off the chain! Everyone is very excited,’ she said.

“Gossip is going around that we sold a winning entry of $20 million and people are checking their tickets hoping it’s them.

“We last sold a winning first division entry in the Monday & Wednesday Lotto earlier this year, so we’re no stranger to making millionaires.

‘Congratulations to our winner! We wish them all the best.’

The Forster guy said he’s been playing the same songs for 20 years

In FY 2021/22, 19 Division 1 winning Oz Lotto entries across Australia together won more than $268.3 million.

Of these, eight have landed in New South Wales, five in Victoria, four in Queensland and one in South Australia and Western Australia.

The man’s win comes a week after the record-breaking $160 million Powerball jackpot.

There were three first division winners, each pocketing approximately $53 million.

One was a syndicate of 20 miners from Western Australia who celebrated winning over $2 million each in the massive jackpot.

The group of 20 night-shift gold diggers from Kalgoorlie were jokingly threatened by their boss to keep showing up for work, despite being $2.6 million richer.

“They called me to tell me they had won the lottery and I didn’t believe them,” he told ABC.

A group of 20 night shift gold prospectors from the Kalgoorlie-Boulder mines (above) each won $2.6 million in last Thursday’s Powerball

Mr Wood said the group are “great workers” and are his best squad.

‘I’m ecstatic. I am very happy for each of them. However, I expect to lose them,” he said.

“I told them I’ll run after them and steal their ticket if they don’t come back.”

Winning prospector ‘Peter’ said the group had never entered the lottery together before Thursday’s win.

“It was just a one-off, because it was a big draw,” Peter told radio station 6PR in Perth last weekend.

“We just couldn’t believe it. We all put in $100, kind of spontaneous action.’