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Readers response: What would you do if you won $1,000,000 in the lottery tomorrow?

<p>Many people, especially those who indulge in weekly lottery tickets, like to fantasise about what they would do if they came into a huge sum of money.</p> <p>For some people, their first purchase would be a house or a once in a lifetime holiday, while others would give the money to family or charity. </p> <p>We asked our reader what they would do if they won $1 million in the lottery tomorrow, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said.</p> <p><strong>Anne Hare</strong> - I'd find a really good accountant and put him on retainer. I'd tell no one until I'd got my finances in order. Then I'd go nuts!</p> <p><strong>Irene Winters</strong> - Give most of it to our children and grandchildren, and keep a bit to pay for our old age.</p> <p><strong>Erica Whitehead</strong> - Help my family and do a kitchen and bathroom renovation.</p> <p><strong>Julie Armstrong</strong> - 1 million would be perfect for us to buy a house and live out the rest of ours days comfortably and not have to stress over the rent increases. Plus, we could pay off our daughter's mortgage.</p> <p><strong>Darlene Challen</strong> - Fix this house up properly, sell it and find my dream little house for myself and my dog, might spend Christmas in NY and/or go on a tropical cruise, then put the rest away for my 9 grandies.</p> <p><strong>Karen Neilson</strong> - Give a big chunk to my children and grandchildren, then give some to each of my siblings and Brother in Law. Keep some for myself, just enough to live comfortably for the few years I’m still on this earth! Give some to Cancer Research, The Heart Foundation and the Rescue Chopper. Give some to a couple of friend who do it tough.</p> <p><strong>Marlene Hassett</strong> - Buy a new car and a couple of things around my house and the rest to my kids and grandkids.</p> <p><strong>Alex Elson</strong> - I would finally, finally take our van out of the shed and go away for a while! </p> <p><strong>Jeannine Litmanowicz</strong> - I would open a scholar fund for my grandchildren so they have money for higher education when they grow up. And also, since they are still young, I would treat them to a week travelling around with them and my daughters and husbands to the Balkans.</p> <p><strong>Christine Whyte</strong> - Keep myself very comfortable till it was time to distribute to 10 grandkids.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Money & Banking

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Spin cycle disaster: man puts winning Lotto ticket through the wash

<p>In a harrowing tale that's sure to wring out a chuckle or two, a man in his late 20s from <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Belmont, Western Australia, </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">narrowly escaped laundering his way out of a $2.8 million windfall – after nearly sacrificing his winning lottery ticket to the treacherous depths of his washing machine.</span></p> <p>It all started innocently enough at the Here's Luck Lottery Centre in Belmont Forum, where our hero – who very sensibly prefers to remain incognito – purchased what would turn out to be a life-changing ticket for the Saturday Lotto. Little did he know, his unassuming trousers would soon become the epicentre of a near-catastrophe.</p> <p>In a classic case of absentmindedness, our hero forgot to take his ticket out of his pants pocket before succumbing to the siren song of laundry day.</p> <p>"I forgot to take the ticket out of my trousers and put it in the washing machine," confessed the forgetful winner. "After five minutes I realised and stopped the washing machine to grab the ticket, fortunately, it was safe."</p> <p>Indeed, it was a race against the spin cycle as the man scrambled to rescue his potential fortune from a soapy demise. "I couldn’t think, I couldn’t sleep, I am still processing the win," he admitted with palpable relief.</p> <p>But our protagonist emerged victorious from this sudsy saga, managing to salvage his ticket just in the nick of time. With a sigh of relief, he made his way to Lotterywest HQ to claim his well-deserved prize.</p> <p>Lotterywest spokesman James Mooney chimed in, highlighting the importance of registering tickets to avoid potential mishaps of this magnitude. "For this player, it all came out of the wash okay, but it’s a reminder for players to register their ticket to prevent what could be a multimillion-dollar mistake," he wisely advised.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Father sues daughter over $1m lottery win

<p>In a tale of fortune turned sour, an Australian family has found itself entangled in a legal battle over a Tattslotto win worth nearly $1 million.</p> <p>William John Bampton, a 92-year-old resident of Twin Waters on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, saw his life take an unexpected turn when he took out the $986,000 lottery jackpot in March 2018. However, the joyous occasion quickly gave way to family discord as Bampton sought to reclaim a $300,000 "gift" he had given to his daughter, resulting in an ugly legal dispute that has left the elderly father estranged from his two children.</p> <p>A Brisbane District Court ruling last month has shed light on the core of the dispute. Following his lottery win, Bampton embarked on a property purchase journey, putting down a $50,000 deposit on a four-bedroom Mountain Creek home. Eventually, he co-purchased the property with his son Larry, contributing a total of $505,030. However, the contentious issue arose when, in August of the same year, he gifted $300,000 to his daughter, Suzanne.</p> <p>The $300,000 transaction became a point of contention as Bampton sought to set aside the cash, alleging that he was unduly influenced or subjected to unconscionable conduct by his daughter. In court documents, Bampton claimed that an argument with his daughter in August 2018 left him feeling overwhelmed, pushing him to make the payment against his will. On the other side of the dispute, Suzanne insisted that her father willingly gifted her the $300,000.</p> <p>The Brisbane District Court, in a comprehensive 39-page judgment, acknowledged the extensive evidence presented by both parties. Importantly, the court clarified that at the time of the hearing, Bampton did not have a dementia diagnosis. Despite Bampton's plea, Judge Sheridan dismissed the claim, suggesting potential orders for costs unless an agreement between the parties could be reached.</p> <p>The judge stated that Bampton, despite his age and medical conditions, had full capacity and well understood and managed his financial affairs. She found the gift to be fair, just and reasonable in the circumstances.</p> <p>The legal battle has taken a heavy toll on the Bampton family, leaving deep scars. Suzanne expressed her dismay, stating that the dispute had crushed her family. Larry, caught in the turmoil, revealed that his father had ceased communication with him. He lamented that nobody in the family emerged as a winner from this unfortunate situation, saying that the lottery win turned out to be one of the tragic stories associated with such windfalls.</p> <p>The case of the Bampton family serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of financial windfalls on familial relationships. As they grapple with the aftermath of the legal battle, the family is left to reconcile the shattered bonds and scars that may take time to heal.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Legal

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"She's my heartbeat": Man's touching move after mum buys him $730k winning lottery ticket

<p>A man from South Australia has vowed to shower his mother in gifts after she bought him a winning lottery ticket for his birthday. </p> <p>The man held one of the seven winning division one tickets, seeing him rake in a hefty prize of $738,668.19. </p> <p>The winning ticket was purchased by the man's mother, at the George Avenue Deli in Whyalla Norrie, north of Adelaide, with the family in disbelief at the extraordinary win. </p> <p>"My mum bought me this ticket for my birthday last week,” the man said.</p> <p>“I rang her yesterday after calling The Lott and she didn’t believe me at all.”</p> <p>The man said that while he is thrilled with the win, it still doesn't seem real. </p> <p>“Honestly, I’ve been holding off getting excited until the money is in my account,” he said. </p> <p>The grateful winner has promised to repay his mother for all she’s done for him by spoiling her “rotten” with his winnings. </p> <p>“She’s my heartbeat, she’s everything to me,” he said.</p> <p>“I wouldn’t have had a great birthday if it wasn’t for her, so I look forward to giving back to her.”</p> <p>The owner of George Avenue Deli, Lorna-Jane Anderson, said learning of the winning entry had been “wonderful news”.</p> <p>“There’s no doubt the local community will be happy to hear another Whyalla Norrie customer has won big with a ticket purchased at our outlet,” she said.</p> <p>“We’ve sold many major lottery prizes in the past two years and in fact, almost a year ago we sold a top prize-winning Instant Scratch-Its ticket worth $100,000."</p> <p>“We’re glad to hear the mystery winner has come forward to claim their prize and we wish him all the best with the win.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Lott</em></p>

Money & Banking

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How $10,000 lottery win ruined a wedding

<p>A bridesmaid who won $10,000 AUD from a scratchie that was gifted to her by the bride and groom, has been embroiled in a furious debate after refusing to share her winnings with the newlyweds. </p> <p>A tight-knit group of 10 friends - all couples - travelled to Cyprus together for their friend's destination wedding. </p> <p>As part of the wedding favours, the newlyweds gifted everyone a scratchie.</p> <p>All of them were in high spirits when the win was announced, until another bridesmaid asked lotto winners Sarah* and her groomsman boyfriend Paul* if they would share their winnings. </p> <p>“We all sat down to eat and while we were waiting, Sarah started jumping up and down shouting she had won $A10,000 on the scratch card,” the bridesmaid wrote on a Reddit thread. </p> <p>“The whole room erupted in applause, and the bride and groom ran over to congratulate them. It was already a very happy occasion but this just made it even better.”</p> <p>The bridesmaid asked the uncomfortable question over breakfast the next day.</p> <p>“They were saying what they planned to do with the winnings and everyone was asking questions and I casually asked how much of it they were going to give to the bride and groom,”  she said. </p> <p>“There was no agenda behind my question — I didn’t ask because I was trying to hint that they should do this, it just never occurred to me as a possibility that they wouldn’t give at least a small amount as a belated wedding gift to the couple, given they wouldn’t have had the ticket without them," she added. </p> <p>Much to her surprise Paul and Sarah went quiet until Paul replied that they weren't going to give the newlyweds anything. </p> <p>“We sat in awkward silence for a bit, and Sarah got up and walked out.”</p> <p>The bridesmaid later found out that Sarah had been crying over the question, and the couple have since cut their ties with her. </p> <p>“Paul said I was the a****** for making them feel awkward and implying they were cheap. I apologise and said that’s not what I meant.</p> <p>“I just said it because that’s what I would do in their situation, but it is their money and their decision so they should do what they want with the money.</p> <p>“Paul’s walked off and neither of them spoke to me for the rest of the holiday or since.”</p> <p>She later asked the rest of the group what they would've done with the winnings, and while some agreed that Sarah and Paul should give something to the bride and groom as a thank you, they also acknowledged that the question made the situation "awkward." </p> <p>“So am I the a****** for making my friend feel awkward for not sharing her lottery winnings?”  she concluded in the thread. </p> <p>Shockingly, a majority of people criticised the bridesmaid's question and defended Sarah and Paul's decision to keep the winnings to themselves. </p> <p>“You have no idea what Paul and Sarah might need that money for," one wrote.</p> <p>"The lotto ticket was a gift, so they have no obligation to share the winnings with anyone. But you just had to put them on the spot and implicitly pressure them to do what you think you would have done with the money if you had won instead." </p> <p>“That remark was in bad taste, and totally put them in an uncomfortable position," another commented.</p> <p>"You asked them as if giving the bride and groom some of the money was a no brainer, but it’s not. if they keep it all for themselves, it’s their right and no one ought to judge them. The fact is that you totally put your foot in your mouth." </p> <p>A third explained: “$A10,000 is a great win but it’s not so much they can share it without making their windfall pretty meaningless to them in the end and because of the way you phrased the question you stopped them from making a kind gesture themselves.</p> <p>“You turned it into an obligation where the amount they decided to share would then be an issue for people to question if it was ‘enough’ or not. It’s such a shame you turned something nice for them into something that made them sad." </p> <p>*Names have been changed.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Woman sues and divorces husband after discovering secret lottery win

<p>A man who kept his multi-million dollar lottery winnings secret from his wife has been ordered by the courts to compensate her. </p> <p>The Chinese man, whose surname was given as Zhou, won a staggering 10 million yuan ($2.1 million AUD) in 2021 and concealed his hefty new fortune from his wife. </p> <p>His wife never knew about the cash pile, as Zhou never bought her any lavish gifts or did anything monumental to celebrate the win. </p> <p>Instead, Zhou transferred two million yuan to his sister, and a further 700,000 yuan to his ex-wife so that she could buy an apartment for herself.</p> <p>Zhou's wife, whose name is unknown, eventually found out about the winnings, and fied for divorce as soon as she discovered the secret fortune. </p> <p>She also decided to sue him, as she asked the court to grant her two-thirds of the money remaining after tax.</p> <p>The woman should have been entitled to half of the money on account of being married to Zhou, and asked the court for more due to him going to great lengths to conceal the jackpot from her.</p> <p>A court in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, agreed with her and told Zhou he had to reimburse his now ex-wife for 2.7 million yuan ($560,000 AUD).</p> <p>Unusually, this kind of secrecy with lottery winnings is not uncommon in China. </p> <p>In 2022, a man kept his eye watering 219 million yuan (AUD$47,068,869) <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/man-hides-hefty-lottery-win-from-wife-and-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lottery win a secret</a> from his wife and child so they don’t become lazy. </p> <p dir="ltr">Known only as Mr Li to conceal his identity, the man dressed up in a yellow cartoon costume when he accepted the huge win at the lottery office in Nanning, in the southern region of Guangxi. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I did not tell my wife and child for fear that they would be too complacent and would not work or work hard in the future,” he told Nanning Evening News. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Man hides hefty lottery win from wife and child

<p dir="ltr">A Chinese man has kept his eye watering 219 million yuan (AUD$47,068,869) lottery win a secret from his wife and child so they don’t become lazy. </p> <p dir="ltr">Known only as Mr Li to conceal his identity, the man dressed up in a yellow cartoon costume when he accepted the huge win on October 24 at the lottery office in Nanning, in the southern region of Guangxi. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I did not tell my wife and child for fear that they would be too complacent and would not work or work hard in the future,” he told Nanning Evening News. </p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Li confessed that he bought 40 lottery tickets all of which had the same seven numbers, with the lottery company paying out 5.48 million yuan (AUD$1,177,811) for each ticket.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eventually he found out that he had the winning lottery numbers of 2, 15, 19, 26, 27, 29, and 2 and went to claim his prize.  </p> <p dir="ltr">After receiving the hefty sum, Mr Li donated 5 million yuan (AUD$1,074,597) to charity and is still unsure of what to do with his fortune.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Li has been playing the lottery for a decade and only won minor prizes until this time round.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“I regard buying the lottery as a hobby, and my family does not care. Plus, I do not spend much money on it, and the lottery provides a ray of hope for me,” he told the South China Morning Post. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Guangxi Welfare Lottery Centre</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Mining workers win $53 million jackpot after “spur of the moment” purchase

<p dir="ltr">It’s said lightning doesn’t strike twice but apparently the lottery does, after a group of miners from Kalgoorlie-Boulder won a share of the $160 million Powerball jackpot - the second time a winning ticket has come from the West Australian mining town.</p> <p dir="ltr">The group of 20 workers had formed a lottery syndicate, chipping in $100 each and walking away with a slice of $53 million in division one winnings on Thursday.</p> <p dir="ltr">With each worker pocketing about $2.65 million, the win has come as a shock to them and their boss, who quipped that he would “run after them” and steal their ticket if they didn’t come back to work.</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter, one of the lucky winners, told <em><a href="https://www.6pr.com.au/exclusive-record-powerball-winner-says-goldfield-syndicate-had-never-played-lotto-before/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6PR Radio</a></em> that the win was “still sinking in”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I only thought we’d won the second division,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was a one-off because it was a big draw … it was a spur of the moment thing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t believe it, I checked the ticket about 10 times.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He went on to tell <em>9News </em>that it had been “life changing” for all of them and that nobody believed he had won since he’s “a bit of a joker”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Chris Wood, the miners’ boss, said he was still in disbelief at the news too.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They’re great workers; it is my best shift,” Mr Wood told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-28/second-goldfields-powerball-winner/101591758" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m ecstatic. I’m very happy for each of them. I expect I might lose them, though.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite his concerns, one of the miners has already confirmed she would be sticking around after the win.</p> <p dir="ltr">“‘You know how they say, one Powerball and I’m out of here? Well, it ain’t true,” she said in a video shared on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve known since the start of my shift and I’m still loading trucks.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So yeah, there’s 18 at my work who are now millionaires.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The group, colloquially referring to themselves as the “We Outta Here” Syndicate, pinned their winning tickets on the workplace pinboard, having purchased the winning ticket from a newsagency in Boulder, 600km east of Perth.</p> <p dir="ltr">They aren’t the first to rake in a massive lotto win in the town either, after 250 Kalgoorlie residents pooled their tickets to claim the $63 million jackpot in February.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for the remainder of the $160 million Powerball jackpot, it was split between two winners - a NSW dad and a man from Clyde, Victoria, who cried “tears of joy” upon hearing the news.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh my god, oh my god. I can’t believe this!” he cried.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Holy s**t! Far out! I’m absolutely speechless.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I never thought I’d get this phone call. This has changed my life!”</p> <p dir="ltr">The winning numbers for Thursday’s Powerball draw were 10, 4, 12, 18, 2, 34, and 7, with 7 being the Powerball number.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-073fd90c-7fff-e474-e68b-8c2563e4fd6d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / 7News</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Woman wins lottery with her deceased mother’s numbers

<p dir="ltr">A woman has won the lottery by using her dead mother’s lucky numbers that she found when she was clearing out her late mum’s home. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly Firth, a mother-of-two from Halifax, UK, would buy her mother Carol's Lotto Hotpicks tickets every week before the 65-year-old died last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly didn't play the lottery herself, but months later she found her mother's numbers, 7, 17 and 37, written on a card while later clearing out her flat and decided to play them in a tribute to her mum. </p> <p dir="ltr">She bought numbers for Wednesday and Saturday draws but when her numbers didn't come up on the first draw, she ripped up the ticket and threw it away.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, she was stunned when three numbers came up on the weekend draw.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly believes it was a sign from her mother and was celebrating and shouting to Carol's ashes on her TV stand when her mother's favourite song - <em>You're Simply the Best </em>by Tina Turner - came on the radio.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly then had to sift through the garbage bin to find the discarded ticket, and was thrilled when her local shop accepted the taped-up winning ticket to claim her £1,600 prize, which she used to take her family on a holiday. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly said, “I still can't believe I won with mum's numbers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“My daughter and I would nip to the shop for mum every week for her lottery.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“She had the same numbers on her little card that she gave me and always told me to put both sides on the numbers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“We did the same numbers for mum for years and never - never did she win.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I decided to carry them on in remembrance of mum.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn't believe I won when mum never did, and I just knew she was still around looking after me when the numbers came up.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I'm still in shock and always will be. It was a sign from mum and I still can't believe it.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Retirement Income

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Three-time lottery winner reveals her secrets to cash in

<p>A woman from the US has won her third lottery in five years, and while she has some tips and tricks up her sleeve, she insists her victories are still down to the luck of the draw. </p> <p>The 30-year-old stay-at-home mum recently won $100,000 off a lucky scratch ticket, according to Maryland Lottery officials. </p> <p>“I couldn’t believe it when I saw how much I’d won,” she told lottery officials, “I immediately called my husband and said, ‘We did it again.’”</p> <p>When asked by the lottery officials how she had managed to win for the third time, she said she had done her research.</p> <p>“We figure out which scratch-off games have been on sale for a long time but still have a lot of big-money prizes,” she said.</p> <p>The information that helped her win is available on the Maryland Lottery website. The $100,000 Lucky game, for example, debuted last September and still has more than 40 top prizes available.</p> <p>Still, the woman said there’s an element of luck, especially when it comes to choosing where to buy the ticket.</p> <p>She picked a certain convenience store in her town based on sheer intuition.</p> <p>“I knew that they sold a big-ticket a few weeks ago,” she said. “I hoped that there was still some luck hanging around there.”</p> <p>As for the prize money, the lucky woman says she’s putting it all in the bank for her children.</p> <p>Despite her repeated wins, she’s still in shock, saying, “This is as crazy as it was the other times. It’s unbelievable.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Unwanted lottery win up for sale

<p dir="ltr">After buying tickets for a lottery for the last four years to support a charity, a Sydney man has finally won a prize - except he doesn’t want it.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mark Wu won a boutique, multi-million-dollar apartment block on the Gold Coast through a charity Christmas draw, according to <em><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/property/18228814/man-who-won-apartment-block-sells-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a></em>, but has since listed it for sale.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As far as the prizes go, well I just thought if I win, I win, but I never dreamt I would,” Mr Wu told <em><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/unwanted-lottery-prize-of-a-whole-apartment-block-up-for-grabs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">realestate.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When they rang to tell me, I thought it was a scam.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite winning it at the end of last year, he and his family visited it for the first time in February in one of the few trips they’ve made to the Gold Coast.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was the first opportunity we had to come and look at it because of Covid,” he explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s so beautiful, the way it is styled and the views over the ocean. It will be sad to let it go.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We don’t holiday regularly on the Gold Coast, so the apartment would be sitting empty.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Wu explained that they weren’t considering moving into one of the building’s luxury apartments either, as they already own a home in Sydney, their daughters are settled into school, and they enjoy the lifestyle they’re already living.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We are better off investing in something in Sydney, which we can then pass on to our children, so they have security in their future,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new owners of the four-storey building will be sure to enjoy it (or at least make a tidy profit renting it out), with the high-tech block including a five-bedroom penthouse with its own private rooftop terrace.</p> <p dir="ltr">The first and second floors are home to ultra-modern two and three-bedroom apartments with open-plan kitchens and living room areas that open out to a terrace with stunning beach views.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for Mr Wu, he hopes to use his profits to give his kids a chance to travel overseas on a family trip.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I never travelled as a kid and I would love my children to have that experience. For us, it’s all about the children,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unitblock-qld-tugun-139005999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressions of interest</a> for the property close on May 10 at 5pm, each apartment also comes with its own title and can be sold off individually in the future.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4a3b49df-7fff-c760-f5d0-2ac805c55816"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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No returns! Gifted lottery scratchie causes family rift after jackpot win

<p dir="ltr">A typical stocking stuffer has resulted in chaos after one man’s wife insisted they were entitled to the winnings from a scratchie they gifted.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man posted to Reddit community ‘Am I The A**hole’ seeking advice, as the $5 scratchie he gifted a cousin as part of their family’s stocking stuffer exchange resulted in the 23-year-old winning the jackpot of US$50,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man felt “elated” at his cousin’s win, telling the community, "I scooped him up in a big bear hug and said Merry Christmas you lucky a--hole. He was screaming and his mum was actually in tears and the whole room was excited. It was literally one of the top ten experiences of my life."</p> <p dir="ltr">The excitement was short-lived, however, as his wife quickly texted him asking him to come out to the car. Once there, "She told me there is no way that we are giving my cousin [$70k], then starts fussing at me about buying the lotto tickets to begin with.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He then explained that he and his wife are financially comfortable and didn’t need any more money, although it would be “nice to have”, while the amount would be “life-changing” for his cousin. "His mum is single and was one of those fiercely independent women who refused charity. She took on extra jobs to help him pay for [university]. He worked at least two jobs himself while going to school full-time and still managed [the] Dean's list," he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"But he still had to take out loans. He landed a job, but he can't afford a car yet or to live close to the office, so he's looking at nearly a two-hour commute. He's also saving for an engagement ring for his sweet girlfriend of three years. This money would literally change this kid's life and frankly I think it couldn't have gone to a better member of my family."</p> <p dir="ltr">The man tried to explain to his wife that they didn’t gift the money to his cousin, just the $5 scratchie, but she refused to let it go. "She is now demanding I go back in there and take the ticket back from him, saying maybe we'll give him some of it. We argue a little bit, I can't get her to explain why she wants this money so bad other than, 'It's ours and you're not giving it away.'” They fought the whole drive home and haven’t spoken much since.</p> <p dir="ltr">Reddit users were quick to side with the man, with many shocked at his wife’s behaviour. One user wrote, "You don't take gifts back when you realise they are worth more than you thought,” while another said the ticket “legally” and “morally” belonged to the cousin, and that there were "witnesses who saw you give the ticket to him as a gift and saw him scratch it and subsequently win."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: BanksPhotos</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Absolute chaos": All female gym buddies take down $80m Powerball lottery

<p><em>Image: 7News Perth</em></p> <p>A group of 55 gym-goers are the lucky winners of a life-changing $80 million Powerball jackpot.</p> <p>The women were part of a syndicate at their Curves gym in Beldon, northern Perth.</p> <p>Sue, the owner of the gym, said they each chipped in $5 for the huge jackpot prize, and she spent all morning calling her clients to pass on happy news.</p> <p>The lucky gym-goers will each pocket $1.5 million.</p> <p>‘I have just had the greatest morning ringing people to tell them they have won $1.5 million,’ Sue told Triple M Perth’s breakfast program on Friday.</p> <p>‘There’s still about 10 people I haven’t been able to get a hold of yet.’</p> <p>Some of the winners were enjoying a Christmas dinner at an Italian restaurant when they learned of the win.</p> <p>'A group of us ladies from my gym were out at our Christmas dinner and one of the husbands rang and said, 'Hey, I think you ladies just won the lotto' and we said, nah,' Sue recalled.</p> <p>'So I got the ticket out and we checked the numbers and you should have seen the restaurant it went into absolute chaos… it turned to mayhem.'</p> <p>The numbers from draw 1333 were 27, 30, 4, 5, 33, 26 and 19 and the all-important Powerball number was 8.</p> <p>The division one ticket was purchased from Lotterywest.</p> <p>One in four Aussies were estimated to have bought a ticket ahead of the jackpot.</p> <p>A handful of clients at the Curves Beldon gym opted out of entering the draw, Sue said. But for the 55 women who have won, the money will be 'life-changing'.</p> <p>Sue has no plans to quit or retire on the winnings, but said it is a weight off her shoulders after her husband was made redundant at his job recently.</p> <p>'So, we were starting to get a little bit worried about what the future was holding for us so this has taken all that away now. We don't have to worry anymore, life's good,' she said.</p>

Money & Banking

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Don't miss out! How to enter million-dollar Vax Lottery

<p>Image: 7 News</p> <p>Aussies looking to win a million dollars at the cost of a COVID-19 vaccine as part of the Million Dollar Vax campaign have until October 31st to receive their first or second dose.</p> <p>Most Australians will be eligible for an entry into the lottery after the national vaccine rate for over 16s on Friday increased to 76.2%.</p> <p>The campaign will give away $4.1 million worth of prizes, with the big ticket item of $1 million in cash drawn on the 5th of November.</p> <p>Funded by philanthropists and corporations, the campaign aims to boost national vaccination rates above 80%, a key reopening target under the national plan.</p> <p>But Craig Winkler of Million Dollar Vax Alliance says it is not designed to convince vaccine hesitant Australians to get the jab.</p> <p>“That’s a decision you should make in consultation with a health professional,” he said in a statement earlier in October.</p> <p>“The promotion simply seeks to reward people who decide to vaccinated now rather than waiting, so that we can reduce the community impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”</p> <p>“The faster we reach higher vaccination rates nationally, higher than 80% the sooner we can all safely resume our full range of community and business activity.”</p> <p>“The promotion simply seeks to reward people who decide to be vaccinated now rather than waiting.”</p> <p>Australia’s vaccination rates have soared in recent months as supply issues eased.</p> <p>The federal government had been considering incentives to encourage people to get the jab before lockdown-inducing outbreaks of the highly infectious Delta variant in NSW and Victoria.</p> <p>Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has endorsed the concept after his state announced a mandate for more than a million authorised workers.</p> <p>“It’s great. I’m not fussed on what motivates you, whether it is for your health or to help the people you love, to protect our health system and our nurses, or to win $1 million,” he told reporters earlier in October.</p> <p>“Just go get vaccinated. That is what I am asking because it is our way out of this.”</p> <p>The initiative is inspired by the Ohio ‘Vax-A-Million’ campaign in the US.</p> <p>All Australian adults are eligible to enter the competition online, as long as they’ve had their first dose on or before October 31. Prizes will only be dished out to those who are fully vaccinated by the 13th of December, six weeks after cut-off date.</p> <p>Vaccinated Australian’s over 18 who have been or will be vaccinated can enter here.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://milliondollarvax.com/" target="_blank">https://milliondollarvax.com/</a></p>

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Lottery winner drowns with winning ticket still in his wallet

<p>A 57-year-old man has drowned in a lake with a winning lottery ticket in his wallet. </p> <p>Michigan-local Gregory Jarvis was found washed up on a beach in the state's east, almost 10 days after scooping the impressive jackpot. </p> <p>Gregory had been at a local inn on September 13 when he won $45,000 in a Club Keno game. </p> <p>He was unable to cash out his winnings straight away, as he didn't have his social security card with him at the time. </p> <p>According to the state of Michigan and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc12.com/2021/09/28/caseville-drowning-victim-had-winning-lottery-ticket-his-wallet/" target="_blank">ABC12 news</a>, social security cards must be presented in order to cash lottery jackpot winnings over $600.</p> <p>Gregory had applied for a new card and was planning to visit his family with the winnings once he could cash them in, according to the Blue Water Inn owner Dawn Talaski. </p> <p>Gregory returned to the inn's bar on September 19 to celebrate his win as he bought a round of drinks.</p> <p>However, when he didn't show up as usual the following day, inn owner Dawn became concerned. </p> <p><span>"He wasn’t here all week and we thought, something is wrong," she said.</span></p> <p><span>Gregory's boss even went to the bar on September 22 to search for him when he hadn't shown up for work. </span></p> <p><span>Two days later, a local resident called the police when they witnesses a body had washed ashore on their private beach in Huron County. </span></p> <p><span>The body was found near a boat, and police confirmed the boat belonged to Gregory Jarvis.</span></p> <p><span>An autopsy revealed that Gregory had hit his head before he drowned.</span></p> <p><span>Local police found the winning lottery ticket in Gregory's wallet, which prompted an investigation to rule out foul play. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>Their investigation showed no such motives or evidence, as Caseville Police Chief Kyle Romzek said, "We are thinking that he was tying up his boat, slipped and fell, hit his head and that’s where he ended up in the water."</span></p> <p><span>The winning lottery ticket has now been handed over to Gregory's relatives. </span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Shutterstock</em></p>

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Unclaimed riches: FIVE lottery winners in the past five weeks yet to come forward

<p>Sydney residents are being urged to check any unclaimed lotto tickets as an $11million winning ticket remains at large. </p> <p>One lucky Aussie purchased the ticket for Tuesday's Oz Lotto draw at a a Newsagency in the south Sydney suburb of Rosebery, and have yet to claim their winnings.</p> <p>The ticket holder managed to nab the <span>only division one winning entry in draw 1435, securing themselves the entire jackpot prize of $11,002,697.57.</span></p> <p><span>However, the ticket purchase wasn't registered to a player card, so lottery officials have no way of contacting them. </span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Rosebery North Newsagency manager Min Chai said the win was “so exciting for us and our community”.</p> <p><span>“It’s incredible to see one of our customers walk away with such a massive prize,” he added.</span></p> <p><span>Lauren Cooney, a spokesperson for Lotto Australia, has urged all customers who bought a ticket from the store to check their tickets as soon as possible. </span></p> <p><span>She also </span>said, <span>“We’re certainly hoping to hear from Sydney’s latest multi-millionaire very soon.”</span></p> <p><span>The draw’s winning numbers were 35, 15, 44, 5, 18, 32 and 38, while the supplementary numbers were 42 and 16.</span></p> <p><span>This large unclaimed prize is the fifth winning ticket that remains at large this week. </span></p> <p><span>Other prizes still to be claimed range between $700,000 and $2million, as Sydney-siders are urged to check any tickets that are not registered to player cards. </span></p> <p><span>The suburbs the tickets were purchased in are West Ryde, Mount Hutton, Randwick, Werrington and the $11million ticket from Rosebery.</span></p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Builder wins $200 million in EuroMillions jackpot

<p>A builder who won a £105 million (AU$200 million) EuroMillions jackpot has pledged not to stop working after receiving the “life-changing” windfall.</p> <p>Steve Thomson said he was “on the verge of a heart attack” when he realised he had won the lottery.</p> <p>Thomson and his wife Lenka said their priority would be buying a new house with a bedroom each for their daughter and two sons, who currently share in a “shoebox” three-bedroom house in West Sussex.</p> <p>“Everyone is going to have a good Christmas,” Thomson said. “Not sure what we are going to do, I am not cooking, Mum is not cooking, Lenka is not cooking. Christmas will be good this year, it really will.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">NEWS: EuroMillions results LIVE: Winning numbers for lottery jackpot for Tuesday November 26 - <a href="https://t.co/HQOEdeQZh8">https://t.co/HQOEdeQZh8</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z7uH7JVvbA">pic.twitter.com/Z7uH7JVvbA</a></p> — EverythingNorthEast (@everything_NE) <a href="https://twitter.com/everything_NE/status/1199417058460614661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The 42-year-old said he would be “sensibly generous” with the money prize. “It’s so much money, I am going to be generous. I live in a small village, I do not want to leave the village, whatever I can do for the village, I will,” he said.</p> <p>“I have to be sensibly generous. I still can’t get my head around it, one [million] would have done but I have got 105, it’s just amazing.”</p> <p>Thomson said his children had their requests after learning about the jackpot. “My eldest’s reaction, he’s a very sensible kid, he said: ‘Dad, can I have my own room?’ I said: ‘No problem, of course you can son.’ My middle son said: ‘Can I have a Tesla,’ and my daughter asked for a pink iPhone and she’s going to get that.”</p> <p>Despite having become wealthier than famous figures such as Emma Watson and Ronnie Wood, Thomson said he would not stop working as a builder immediately and would complete all his jobs before Christmas.</p> <p>“Once I am over the shock I will need to keep doing something, I am not the type just to sit still. My business partner knows that if he needs a hand I’ll be there,” he said.</p> <p>“At the end of the day I’m still Steve – and she is still Lenka – that is not going to change. We’re just better off financially.”</p>

Retirement Life

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Shock as Sydney grandmother scoops $7 million lottery win

<p>A Sydney grandmother could not be more thrilled with her lottery win of $7 million as she says she plans to sing and dance in the street after the win.</p> <p>She was informed of her new-found wealth by Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw officials.</p> <p>The grandmother won the entire Jackpot Prize, which totalled $6,870,000.</p> <p>"My husband is still working, he isn't going to believe this. He can finally retire!" the woman told lottery officials over the phone, according to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/sydney-grandmother-scoops-dollar7-million-lottery-win/ar-BBWXPLt?li=AAgfYrC" target="_blank">MSN</a>.</em></p> <p>"This news has made my day, my year and we will have the best Christmas of our life! </p> <p>"We will drink champagne and dance to celebrate!"</p> <p>The woman bought the winning ticket at Foodworks in Tennyson Point, and the owner of the store, Mohammed Nawaz, is thrilled as well.</p> <p>"We've sold a Lucky Lotteries 1st Prize in the past and a division one winning entry in Monday and Wednesday Lotto but this is by far the biggest prize we've ever sold," said Mr Nawaz.  </p> <p>"We are thrilled. We will be telling all of our customers and we'll organise a celebration with all of our staff.  </p> <p>"We wish the winner all the best with her prize."</p> <p>However, if you plan on going out and trying to get the winning ticket, Oz Lotteries have warned punters that the chance of winning the jackpot is one in 18,385,876.</p>

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