Australia Powerball winners: A look at the largest jackpots
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What would you do with AUD$ 3 million?
That's the Powerball jackpot at stake as of this writing. While a hefty sum, it pales in comparison to the wins on this list. Those who struck gold became millionaires overnight, realising their dreams. Can you imagine how lucky these winners were?
Your chance of winning anything on Powerball is 1 in 25. The odds of hitting the jackpot prize is 1 in over 292 million. If you want to raise your chances, getting a Powerhit ticket from Oz Lotteries increases your chance of winning Powerball, as it lets you play beyond the standard seven numbers. But really, in the end, it all boils down to dumb luck.
So while you wait for this week's draw, here's a look into the largest jackpots ever.
The three-way split
Date: September 19, 2019
Combination: 26, 4, 17, 5, 18, 8, and 31
Powerball No.: 9
The AUD$ 150-million jackpot-the largest on record-was split among three winners, two from Queensland and one from New South Wales. Each received AUD$ 50 million.
One winner told reporters that he had to take a day off, as the big win wouldn't allow him to focus at work anyway. Another said he planned to travel the world and visit family. Had there been only one winner, this win would've beaten the next record on the list.
Making history
Date: January 17, 2019
Combination: 20, 18, 33, 22, 11, 26, and 4
Powerball No.: 9
Despite being the sole winner of AUD$ 107 million, the bettor from Sydney said she wouldn't be retiring from her healthcare work. To date, the jackpot remains the largest single Powerball win in the history of the Australian lottery.
The winner got the news with some confusion, according to another report. She thought she had only won AUD$ 107,000, only for the lottery to correct her by adding three more zeroes. So overwhelming was the news that she celebrated that night with a glass of cheap chardonnay.
Powerball fever
Date: August 16, 2018
Combination: 33, 3, 32, 13, 27, 35, and 31
Powerball No.: 3
When the jackpot broke the AUD$ 100-million mark for the first time, everyone and their grandma scrambled to get a ticket. According to a dedicated Powerball information website, it's estimated that one in every three Aussies at the time bought one. When the time came to check their numbers, Powerball Australia's website crashed under the weight of incoming traffic.
In the end, two winners, one from Sydney and another from Melbourne, shared the jackpot. Each received AUD$ 50 million. The Sydney winner chose to get financial advice first, while the Melbourne winner said he would invest it in property and shares.
Two wins amid COVID
Quarantines and lockdowns didn't stop Powerball from bringing wealth and smiles to Australians across the country. The lottery registered two huge wins in the middle of the nationwide lockdown.
Date: March 26, 2020
Combination: 12, 14, 16, 21, 27, 29, and 1
Powerball No.: 7
The winner of the AUD$ 80-million jackpot had just entered retirement in time for the lockdowns. His first thought regarding his prize was to upgrade to a satellite TV to enjoy retirement, if not kill time until the lockdown ends.
Date: 9 July 2020
Combination: 21, 26, 28, 31, 32, 33, and 2
Powerball No.: 12
Months later, a couple from Victoria won the same amount. The pandemic was as hard of a time for them as any, especially in terms of money. The winnings made them sigh with relief.
Dream to win
Date: January 7, 2016
Combination: 4, 14, 18, 20, 23, and 34
Powerball No.: 18
Before April 2018, winning the jackpot only required matching six numbers plus the all-important Powerball. The largest single Powerball win at the time happened two years earlier, where a couple got AUD$ 70 million.
The wife had resolved to win the lottery as a means of 'bringing positivity into her life.' After giving some to charity and their family, they planned to travel the world.
The newsagent where they bought their ticket was just as ecstatic, having sold its second Division 1-winning ticket at the time. It's as much of a victory for the newsagent as for the couple.
Conclusion
The current jackpot may seem small, but it can grow to life-changing proportions as these big wins have shown. As long as you play within your means, you too can have a chance to become a millionaire overnight.
Gamble responsibly. Contact the Gambling Helpline for free and confidential support, information and counselling on 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au.
