Shock at win

Despite registering his entry to a Tatts Card, the winner had not kept his contact details up to date, so officials were unable to break the news until six days after the draw.

The regular player, who wished to remain anonymous, confessed he was oblivious to his win until he checked his post.

‘‘I’ve been playing for so long, I didn’t even have a mobile phone back when I started playing, which is why I never thought to update my details,’’ he said.

‘‘I had no clue I had won anything until I checked my ticket this afternoon. I couldn’t believe it.

‘‘I thought I might have won something like second or third division, not division one.

‘‘My wife always tells me ‘you’re wasting your time on that’, but my theory is you’ve got to be in it to win it.

‘‘Now I have and she’s glad I’ve been playing.’’

The thrilled winner said the surprise windfall would allow him to retire a little earlier than planned.

‘‘I’m on the cusp of retirement but was thinking I’d have to work a few more years,’’ he said.

‘‘But with this, it means I can retire a bit earlier and see where to go from there.

‘‘I’ve got no big plans for retirement. I’m sure there will be a holiday in there somewhere.’’

The man purchased his winning 12-game entry at Seymour South Post and Lotto.

Owner Bruce Eccles said staff members were excited to discover their outlet had sold division one.

‘‘We are thrilled it is a regular to our shop and a local,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve been celebrating the win in-store all week with balloons, banners and signs and we’ve been talking to all of our customers about the win.

‘‘They have all be so excited for us and curious as to when the winner would claim their prize.

‘‘This is the first division one-winning entry the outlet has sold since we took over the business and it’s the third the store has ever sold.’’