A hard-working Ballarat man is looking forward to clocking off work this afternoon and never clocking on again after scoring $8 million in last night’s Powerball draw.

The Victorian player held the only division one winning entry nationally in Powerball draw 1200, drawn Thursday 16 May 2019. He takes home the entire division one prize of $8 million.

It’s the second time this month a multi-million-dollar Powerball prize has landed in regional Victoria. On 2 May, a Bendigo blue-collar worker won $30 million.

Last night’s winner is the second Victorian and fifth Australian to win a Powerball division one prize so far this year.

When we called the winner this morning to confirm his win, the Ballarat man was hard at work and revealed the news had come completely out-of-the-blue.

“Whoa! Seriously? I’m gobsmacked! That’s beyond words!” he laughed in disbelief.

“You’ve completely floored me. Anyone who knows me knows I can chat your ear off but I’m gobsmacked!

“I’m at work at the moment. I’ll finish the day because it’s the right thing to do but I might not go back on Monday. That will be another story!

“That’s magnificent. My kids will be very happy – they’ll be getting the majority of it.

“I can retire now probably. I’ve worked freaking hard all my life so it will probably be time to take a breath.

“My kids have their whole lives in front of them so I’ll set them all up and they’ll have a better life!”

As well as sharing the life-changing windfall with his beloved children, the winner also told us he was looking forward to his first overseas holiday.

“Well, funnily enough, my kids have been nagging me to go on holidays overseas with them for months now,” he laughed.

“I wasn’t going to go and they’ve been trying to talk me into it for six months now.

“I was starting to think I’d try and go with them and had been putting some money away. But now I’ll be able to say to them ‘don’t worry about saving for your holiday. We can all go and it’s on me!’.

“We might even go first class!

“I’ve never been overseas so it feels like the world has opened up a bit for me now.

“I can buy a new house too which will be amazing!”

The regular player revealed he always had an inkling he might be collecting a division one prize one day.

“I’ve played since I was 18 years old!” he laughed.

“I always had little wins here and there. Just $10 or $50 but I’ve always felt lucky.

“I’ve always felt that I would win the lottery. I’ve always had this feeling." 

“Everyone has always laughed at me because I though I would win. Only recently my daughter said to me ‘well hurry up and do it Dad – I’m sick of you saying it’.

“So the phone call to tell her I’ve won is going to be pretty good!

“I’ll tell you what, I’ve always thought karma is a big thing.

“I’ve always done the right thing by people, I’ve always worked hard and I’ve always thought good things will come in the end.

“I tell you what – it doesn’t get much better than this!”

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, purchased his winning 25-game QuickPick entry at Wendouree Newsagency, 1215A Howitt Street, Wendouree.

Wendouree Newsagency manager Christine Jones said the outlet would be celebrating the Powerball division one win for a long time to come.

“When I found out this morning we sold the division one winning ticket, I was so excited! I was just beside myself!” she exclaimed.

“I feel like I’ve won, even though I didn’t have a ticket myself.

“We’ve never sold a Powerball division one winning entry before.

“The store has been here about 15 years, but under new management since October last year. 

“So far this year, we’ve had a TattsLotto division one win and now a Powerball one!  We’re doing
quite well! We just need an Oz Lotto to complete the trifecta.

“We wish our winner all the very best with their prize! I’m sure it will be wonderful for them.”