Cape Town - Betting just R5 on a Powerball ticket paid off handsomely for a father of five when he became one of two jackpot winners who each became R26 896 380.16 richer on June 05. The Eastern Cape man, who says he usually plays PowerBall Plus, Lotto Plus, and SportStake 13 had manually selected the winning numbers.
The lucky winner says he usually spends a maximum of R22.50 on a single wager and had always believed that he would win the Lotto. He saw the results during the Draw Show on TV, then told his wife and son, but cautioned them not to tell anyone. His winning ticket was kept safely in a packet inside the pocket of a shirt until he could claim it at an Ithuba Office.
Asked how he would spend his windfall, the naturally thrifty man said he planned to build a home for his family and fund his children's education. “I am very excited, but I am trying to control myself – I don’t want this money to change me. I simply plan to send my children to university. I would also like to build my family a house, and I have plans to make a donation to my church.
“I currently work at a national retailer as a security guard. When I am not at work, I usually take on odd jobs just to bring in that extra money to support my family. Without a doubt, this money will make a huge difference in my life. If people ask me where it comes from, I will be honest – I won the Powerball because I’m an avid player”, the man said.