An anonymous poster on the Port Chalmers Facebook page this morning wrote: "I’m the winner of the Lotto I would love to give back to Port Chalmers".
The post has generated 70 comments, most from people who appear to be treating the post as genuine.
Suggestions range from helping save heritage buildings to funding an ambulance in the port and paying for local sports kits.
This morning Lotto NZ said in a statement the anonymous winner checked the winning numbers in the ODT then slept beside the winning ticket after scoring $5.3 million.
The individual was still coming to terms with the win after buying the ticket in Port Chalmers at the weekend.
After hearing about the win, they sat down with their copy of the Otago Daily Times and crossed out each number by hand.
“I got all the numbers!”
In the following days the winner kept the ticket close, sleeping next to it at night.
"I had a hard time falling asleep, but I didn't want to let it out of my sight,” they laughed.
The person had been playing the same Lotto Powerball numbers for five years, a practice first adopted during the Covid-19 lockdown.
They celebrated the win with a small celebration with close family.
“We had champagne and a home-cooked dinner to mark the beginning of something new.
“Even though it hasn’t sunk in yet, this is a great moment in my life, and I’m very grateful for it.”
The South Island has been on a winning streak, with the past three Powerball winners coming from tickets purchased in stores on the mainland.
On March 15, a $10 million Powerball jackpot was split between two winners from Christchurch and Dunedin, who each took home $5.5 million, and then just seven days later the latest $5.3 million prize was won on a ticket sold in Port Chalmers. - APL
