A resident of Woden, Canberra, has come forward to claim a $40 million Powerball prize two weeks after the draw, having only checked his ticket after a news segment highlighted the unclaimed winnings. The man, who purchased the ticket for Powerball draw 1571 on June 25, was the only winner but remained unaware of his fortune until recently.
He realized he held the winning ticket after seeing a news report indicating that the substantial prize had gone unclaimed for two weeks. "I'm still in shock!" the winner stated. "I just can't believe it. I had no idea until a couple of days ago."
The winning numbers for the Powerball draw were 7, 29, 25, 18, 26, 23, and 17, with the Powerball number being 16. The ticket was purchased at Thistle Kiosk in Westfield Woden.
Rudy Lu, the owner of Thistle Kiosk, noted that the newsagency has a history of selling winning tickets, having sold seven division one winning tickets in the past 20 years and over 20 in the last 50 years. "When I saw the news there was an unregistered winner in Canberra, I had a feeling it was us that sold it," Lu said.
The winner confirmed that he intends to continue working, stating that the winnings will primarily be for future generations. "I still plan to work. It'll more be there for future children and grandchildren," he said. "I'm so happy. Thank you so much!" The ticket had reportedly been kept in his wallet since the purchase.