“I had no idea,” the woman told officials from The Lott after her win was verified. “My hands are shaking! I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed, describing the moment she realised she was a multi-millionaire.
The winning numbers for the Christmas Day draw were 7, 11, 16, 17, 20, 23 and 29, with Powerball number 17. With no other division-one winners nationally, the Hackham retiree claims the entire AU$20 million jackpot.
Rather than immediately splurging on luxury purchases, the winner says her first priorities are supporting her family and donating to charities close to her heart. “A lot of people could do a lot of good with this money,” she said, emphasising her intention to give back.
Lottery officials had publicly encouraged customers who bought tickets from the Noarlunga Centre kiosk to check their entries in the days following the draw, due to the absence of a registered winner. The discovery of the ticket ends days of nationwide speculation over the mystery Christmas jackpot.
The remarkable win marks a fortunate start to 2026 for the retiree and serves as a reminder for players to ensure their lottery entries are registered, so they can be contacted quickly in the event of a major prize.
