A lottery is a funny thing. While the chances of winning one are relatively slim, to say the least, all the mathematics and calculations seem utterly irrelevant as we read about lottery success stories. Who cares about the teeny tiny percentages that you will ever get the most prominent award when you see that it is indeed possible, and people are becoming filthy rich overnight? New winners are proclaimed every month, or sometimes every week, and their lives are turned upside down (in a good way).
So, let’s see what exactly was happening to some of the luckiest people in South Africa.
Persistency Pays Off
Only a few days ago, the whole country jumped to their feet when the PowerBall results came out and it turned out one person won the jackpot of R145 million (over US $9 million)! That was the ultimate dream coming true for a 34-year-old engineer from Mpumalanga. The luckiest person in South Africa nowadays said that he has been playing the lottery ever since he was a teenager, and that on that very day he felt the urge to leave his friends just so that he could buy the ticket and use the numbers he was always counting on 1, 15, 23, 24, 35 and 4. He said a prayer and paid for the ticket just before 8 pm, and at 2 o’clock the next day, he was astonished to find out he had won!At the moment, his head is brimming with ideas how he could invest his money in the opportunities he had noticed before, and there is actually a whole team of experts helping the winner with financial and psychological advice. Fingers crossed!
A Huge Makeover
A month before this incredible win, there was a true rags to riches story. A female shack dweller from Cape Town won R16 million jackpot and decided never to go back to the old place again. Once she arrived in Johannesburg, the 47-year-old mother of three declared she is never returning to the miserable residence she and her family used to live in. Her main concern, or should we say future accomplishment, is to buy three houses for her mother, her children and grandchildren.The winner was at work when her daughter told her the big news, and she asked to be excused. Now, she’s decided to be justified for good since she’d been working non-stop since she was 16. She’s planning to make some investments and live off of the interest. Oh, and to get a makeover, as the cherry on top for the complete life change.
(Truck)Road to Success
Where would a truck driver hide his winning ticket? In a vehicle, of course! The 46-year-old man had been so worried about keeping his ticket safe that he had been sleeping in his car, protecting the precious piece of paper, until he collected R9 million. His ticket matched all Lotto Plus numbers, and he just couldn’t believe his eyes!His biggest dream? As it is the case with so many people, he wishes to build a home big enough for himself and his family. Expectedly, he’s thinking about investing money in some ventures and becoming a millionaire who enjoys fishing.
Best Mother’s Day Ever
One thing we can conclude from all these amazing stories is: always follow your instinct! The 56-year-old Capetonian woman couldn’t keep still until she played lotto. She was on her way to have dinner with her husband, but she asked him to stop so she could play a game of chance. This probably seemed ridiculous at the time, but on Saturday the next day, the Mother’s Day celebration turned out into a huge party! First, she checked her ticket at the machine, without any high expectations. Once her son checked the numbers, the lucky winner had to drink quite a lot of gin to calm herself down!
