The winner, Joseph, owns a Holiday Park in Taupo Bay in Northland and decided he would go public about his win because he lives in a small community.
“There are only about 40 people who live in Taupo Bay and I figured the news that we’d won would get out sooner or later so it doesn’t worry me who knows that we’ve won,” says Joseph.
“This amount of money is enough to pay off our mortgage on the Holiday Park but it isn’t too much to spoil us,” he jokes.
“The summer season didn’t start very well for us with some bad weather and flooding up here in Northland, but the season has picked up now and this win will gives us a financial cushion,” says Joseph.
The winner, who has been married for 46 years and has children and grandchildren nearby, says there will be some money left over to make improvements to the Taupo Bay Holiday Park.
“It’s amazing that we can pay off our mortgage as it’s been like having a splinter in my leg!,” says Joseph.
His winning ticket was sold at Mangonui Lotto and Stationer in Mangonui, Northland. Another Lotto First Division prize of $500,000 was won at Richmond Night’n’Day in Nelson last Saturday.
