Woman Wins Unexpected Fortune | Betsquare

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Article by Simon Young
Nationale Loterij dagvaart voormalig CEO
Last Updated: May 9th, 2024 Share On Your Network:

Have you ever placed a bet or bought a lottery ticket but received a bit more than you expected because of a small miscalculation? Well, how about winning over $19 MILLION more than you initially believed you had? This was a reality for a New South Wales resident who was stunned to discover she won $20 million on the Powerball draw.

When she purchased her ticket from Gladstone Newsagency and General Store, she could hardly believe her luck. As the only person holding the winning combination in the draw earlier in April, she now has all the money she could ever dream of and plans to put it to good use.

Quoting the experience to lottery officials as being in a “fairyland”, she continued “, I got up this morning and checked my ticket. “I looked at it and then ran to my family and said, ‘I’ve won $20,000’. They looked at it, then at me and said, ‘No, you haven’t. You’ve won $20 million.”

Not even in anybody’s wildest dreams could you expect this sort of outcome from picking your numbers for a lottery draw. We all dream of what we would do if our numbers came in, but it’s never a realistic thought, one that merely gets your imagination going and would never go any further. However, the lucky winner could start planning for real.

After claiming she’d be over the moon about winning $20,000, the sum she initially thought she had won, she stated, “I want to get a house, and I’d love to go travelling around the world. I keep thinking I’ll wake up, and I’ll be back in reality.” This was a mere pipe dream until she was told the good news and no longer had to worry about her finances.

The Reality of Unclaimed Lottery Prizes

According to The Lott website, there were 21 massive unclaimed jackpots across Australia last year. These tickets spanned several states, but because the purchases weren’t linked to anybody’s personal information, it was down to the buyers to realise they had their hands on potentially millions of dollars. In total, over $16 million was waiting to be claimed, with one ticket worth almost $5 million. 

Of course, nobody truly expects their ticket to match the numbers drawn during the Powerball drawing, but at the very least, the numbers should be checked to see if you’ve won any small amount, let alone a head-spinning amount of money.

Back in 2018, one player in Melbourne ran it close to not claiming a $55 million jackpot they had won. Eventually, they realised they’d won a frankly unbelievable amount of money, and their life was forever changed. 

If you bought a lottery ticket or placed a bet for an upcoming draw or event, it wouldn’t make much sense to at least not check the results. You bought that ticket or placed that bet because you felt that you’d like the prize money offered or you stood at least some chance of winning.

While the domestic single-ticket winner on these shores recently reached $200 million, Australian players also had access to the US Powerball, a Stateside draw that regularly hits quite unfathomable sums, like the US$2.3 billion jackpot that was up for grabs in 2023.

Gamblers, be Vigilant

It may seem like a redundant reminder, but this serves as an important notice for you to check your bets. You might have placed a wager and forgot when the game was taking place, only to be pleasantly surprised that you’ve won some cash.

It’s hardly worth your time expecting $20 million to land in your account out of the blue, but there could be a handsome amount you didn’t expect or simply forgot about.

When you receive odds and are ready to place a wager on a sports event, or enter an online casino and look to play roulette, poker, or any other popular game, there’s a chance you can win, but you must remember that your stake could be lost.

Like the NSW local, it’s OK to hope for large winnings without expecting them as long as you do so without causing detriment to your mental or financial well-being.

It shows that the saying is true: “If you don’t buy a ticket, you can’t win the raffle”. Of course, you should never gamble beyond your means, and your fun should never be jeopardised; gambling should remain fun and responsible at the same time. It’s so important to remind yourself what the signs of irresponsible gambling are so you can stay in control and not put your mental health at risk.

Not everyone will be as lucky as the New South Wales player who miscalculated her winnings to her benefit, but sometimes life can surprise us. The odds on any casino game will be laid out in the rules of the game, and you should make sure to check them so you fully understand how it works; this will increase the likelihood of you making any winnings.

When it comes to betting, Betsquare is the best place to compare Australian casinos and sports bookmakers for the best rewards and highest quality platforms. For all of our reviews, read through our website today. 

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