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'Is this real?': Two Instant Kiwi millionaires crowned 17 min apart

Author
Cherie Howie,
Publish Date
Wed, 16 Apr 2025, 11:01am
Two families have become millionaires on the same day after buying Instant Kiwi tickets. Photo / Alex Burton
Two families have become millionaires on the same day after buying Instant Kiwi tickets. Photo / Alex Burton

'Is this real?': Two Instant Kiwi millionaires crowned 17 min apart

Author
Cherie Howie,
Publish Date
Wed, 16 Apr 2025, 11:01am
  • Two families became millionaires 17 minutes apart on Monday after scratching winning Instant Kiwi tickets bought in 艑amaru and Wellsford. 
  • One couple celebrated their lottery win with McDonald鈥檚 and penguin-watching, and now plan to buy their own home. 
  • The second family want to pay a chunk off their mortgage and invest for their future. 

Two families at opposite ends of the country became millionaires 17 minutes apart on Monday after scratching winning Instant Kiwi tickets. 

A couple were the first Monday millionaires after claiming their prize at 艑amaru鈥檚 New World Waitaki, where they鈥檇 bought the ticket two days earlier - and the husband had kept their good fortune secret since because he feared it wasn鈥檛 true. 

The couple celebrated with a feed of Maccas while watching the wildlife at the 艑amaru blue penguin colony and dreaming about their new future - top of the list, buying a home of their own. 

鈥淚t means we can buy a home for our family, and that feels wonderful, we feel so blessed,鈥 the man said. 

He鈥檇 bought a ticket while they were shopping for groceries, before scratching it while his wife went to watch the penguins on their way home. 

The man realised he鈥檇 won, but tucked the ticket away as his wife came back to their car. 

鈥淸At home] I went straight to our room and put the ticket under our mattress - I wanted to be sure it was a winner before I told anyone.鈥 

Over the next couple of days, the man couldn鈥檛 stop thinking about the winning ticket. 

鈥淓very time we got home, the first thing I did was check it was still where I鈥檇 left it.鈥 

On Monday, he told his wife they needed to pick up something from the supermarket. 

鈥淚 told her I鈥檇 only be a minute, but it was about an hour before I returned, and as I walked back to the car I could see she was not happy with me. So I held up the claim form and the little receipt that had $1,000,000 stamped on it and told her we had won. 

鈥淪he burst into tears and kept saying, 鈥業s this real? Are you joking me?鈥欌 

To celebrate, the couple bought McDonald鈥檚 and went back to watch the penguins and talk about their win, he said. 

鈥淭hat鈥檚 where it started, down by those penguins, so it felt right to go back there. We chatted about our future and the difference this win will make in our lives.鈥 

Just 17 minutes after the first winner claimed their prize, another call came through to Lotto NZ鈥檚 headquarters 鈥 there was another Instant Kiwi millionaire, this time a family in the North Island. 

The woman and her family bought their ticket at Woodys Winners in the North Auckland town of Wellsford while travelling to see family for the school holidays. 

鈥淢y husband saw all the 鈥榖ig winner鈥 signs up at the store and said we should grab a ticket for the Powerball draw. When he came back out I saw he鈥檇 also bought a scratchie.鈥 

The family continued their journey, only remembering the tickets the next day. 

鈥淚 scratched the ticket from right to left, so the zeroes showed up first, and when I saw it was a million I was speechless. We told our family and celebrated with a glass of bubbles 鈥 everyone was so happy for us. 

鈥淟ater that night in bed, I remembered the ticket was in my handbag, which was in the lounge, so I quickly got up and brought my bag to the bedroom 鈥 and slept with it right by my bed.鈥 

Two Kiwi families have won big of Instant Kiwi scratchie tickets this week. Photo / John CowplandTwo Kiwi families have won big of Instant Kiwi scratchie tickets this week. Photo / John Cowpland 

The woman claimed their prize the next day at Ruak膩k膩 Lotto Post & Gift Shop in Ruak膩k膩. 

The family are going to use the money to pay a chunk off their mortgage and invest for their future, she said. 

Both families wanted to remain anonymous. 

It鈥檚 the first time in Instant Kiwi鈥檚 history two millionaires had been confirmed in one day, Lotto NZ鈥檚 head of corporate communications Will Hine said. 

鈥淭o put this into perspective, two Instant Kiwi players have won million-dollar prizes in the past two years, so to have another two joining them within the space of an hour is remarkable.鈥 

The winning tickets were from two different Instant Kiwi ticket options 鈥 Mega Million and Millionaire Riches, Hine said. 

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