A Rotorua couple are celebrating a “life-changing” moment after winning $500,000 in Lotto First Division.

The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, are occasional players who lucked out on a Triple Dip. But it almost didn’t happen.

“I wasn’t going to buy a ticket, but my partner reminded me to get one that day,” the woman says.

“So, I ended up getting one a couple of hours before the draw.”

The couple forgot about the draw and didn’t check their ticket until later that night once the kids were in bed.

“We were lying in bed about to go to sleep when my partner checked the ticket online around 11. He got up suddenly, and I thought something was wrong because he was bent over. I asked him if everything was OK and he replied, ‘We just won!’

“I didn’t believe him. I said, “Whatever!’ but then he showed me his screen, and there it was – ‘Major Prize Winner.’

“I was shocked,” the woman says.

“There were so many emotions going through my head.”

The couple struggled to sleep that night but “celebrated quietly with the kids at home” the next day.

“We’re still taking it in,” the woman said. “It’s come at a great time for us. It’s important for us to take our time to think about our options – but our ultimate goal is to set up our kids for the future.”

In the meantime, the couple are keen to “live life as normal. We’re still going to work and everything!”

The winning Lotto First Division ticket was sold on MyLotto for the draw on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. A winning $500,000 Lotto First Division ticket was also sold on MyLotto to a player from Auckland for the same draw.