Powerball $100million: How a grandma’s typical birthday present led to a million-dollar windfall for her lucky grandson

A grandma’s typical birthday gift led to a million-dollar windfall for one lucky man.

The man from Armidale, in NSW’s Northern Tablelands, made $1 million after receiving a lotto ticket for the draw on Monday and Wednesday.

Last Wednesday he had one of the two winning entries from the First Division in his possession.

“This has got to be the best gift I’ve ever received,” he said.

“When I scanned it online and it said I had won $1 million, I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was just a mistake, so it’s just crazy to have it confirmed.

An Armidale man pocketed $1 million after his grandmother gave him a Lotto ticket for the Monday and Wednesday draw

‘I had to leave early today. I’m just so shocked.

‘This is amazing. I’ll be able to buy a house.’

The man said it didn’t feel real when an official called and told him the news.

“Holy bastard!” he laughed.

‘It’s great because I don’t normally play Lotto. I play Powerball occasionally when it’s big, but that’s about it.

‘Thank you so much.’

The winning numbers in the Monday & Wednesday Lotto draw 4389 on Wednesday 15 May were 28, 43, 4, 37, 38 and 15, while the additional numbers were 16 and 33.

The winning numbers in the Monday & Wednesday Lotto draw 4389 on Wednesday 15 May were 28, 43, 4, 37, 38 and 15, while the additional numbers were 16 and 33

The winning numbers in the Monday & Wednesday Lotto draw 4389 on Wednesday 15 May were 28, 43, 4, 37, 38 and 15, while the additional numbers were 16 and 33

On Thursday, Aussies will be eagerly awaiting the whopping Powerball jackpot up for grabs.

The jackpot rose to $100 million after there were no division one winners in Thursday night’s draw for the fifth week in a row

If one player wins the entire $100 million division by one prize within a week, he will share the crown of Australia’s second-largest individual lottery winner ever.

It is expected that up to half of Australia’s adult population will buy a ticket in the hope of becoming multi-millionaires.

“It’s been almost four months since Powerball last offered $100 million to Australian lottery players. On that occasion the prize was not won and we saw the jackpot rise to a record high of $200 million,” said The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell.

“We will be waiting on the edge of our seats to see if Powerball will welcome a new Division One winner or if history will repeat itself and the jackpot will soar higher.

“Many Australians are likely already making their plans for the rest of 2024 and beyond should they win a share of Powerball’s $100 million. A dream holiday, early retirement, the ideal home and the fulfillment of other ambitions can become a tangible reality.’

Millions of Aussies will buy a ticket for Thursday's $100 million Powerball jackpot

Millions of Aussies will buy a ticket for Thursday’s $100 million Powerball jackpot

The only way players can have a chance to win the multi-million dollar prize is by getting a ticket in store, online or through The Lott app.

Players are advised to register their entry so that winners can be contacted by officials immediately after the draw.

Registering your ticket also ensures your entry is secure and minimizes the risks if a winning entry is lost or lost.

James Eddy, who has the amazing job of telling Australians they are a big lottery winner, revealed exactly what words the lucky winner will hear.

“I’m going to say, ‘Hello, am I speaking with (their name)?’ And they say yes. I say, ‘Look, my name is James from The Lott PR team, I want to call you regarding Powerball drawing number 1446, you have access to that drawing,'” he said. 7NEWS.

‘We then have to go through a number of verification steps. And at the end of that, if it’s a little taste test for Thursday night, I can say, ‘Well, congratulations. I am pleased to tell you that you are one of our Division 1 winners in this drawing and have won $200 million.” And you just pause!

Thursday night's Powerball jackpot will be the third largest prize yet in 2024

Thursday night’s Powerball jackpot will be the third largest prize yet in 2024

‘Sometimes you get shouting – there are quite a few winners who just sit there and their first reaction is, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe this happened to me!’

The numbers from last week’s drawing were 6, 18, 32, 3, 1, 16 and 12. The all-important Powerball number was 4.

Tickets for Powerball draw 1461 on Thursday 16 May close at 7.30pm AEST.

If you need help with gambling, you can get immediate help by calling the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 for free, professional and confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.