A North Island couple were in tears after discovering they’d won $1 million in Lotto First Division – a month after the draw!

The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, are regular players who bought the ticket in Dunedin during a trip down south.

“We’ve been quite busy the past month and didn’t get a chance to check the ticket,” the man says.

“We were on our way to the supermarket to buy some snacks, and I found the ticket in my glovebox, so I asked my wife to check it on the MyLotto App, and she said it was a Major Prize Winner.

“I told her and my niece to go check it in-store and pick up some chips and drinks while they were there. They both came running out of the store with tears streaming down. I thought, ‘What’s happened?’

“They said we’d won one million dollars – I thought it was a joke!”

The man “tried to keep calm” as he followed his family in-store to fill out the Prize Claim Form, though his family struggled to keep their emotions in check. “My niece was still crying, and I told the store manager to kick them out.”

With their prize safely claimed, the couple are now figuring out a plan for the future.

“This is massive for us. We never win anything! This will really help and be a big relief for us,” the man says.

“We haven’t had a chance to celebrate yet, but we’ll do something nice with the family.”

The winning Lotto First Division ticket was sold at South Dunedin Night n Day in Dunedin for the draw on Saturday, 22 July 2023.