Have you ever wondered what it is like to receive that life-changing phone call to tell you that you have won a major prize? Or perhaps you’ve already been fortunate enough to receive the out-of-the-blue news. 

To get an idea of what it is like to make that phone call, and the process behind alerting our division one winners of their good fortune, we chatted to Bronnie Spencer from the ‘dream delivery’ team at the Lott to find out more. 

What is it like sharing that moment?

“It can be screams of excitement and tears of joy, all the way down to stunned silence and everything in between. Sometimes I have to hold the phone away from my ear as people are screaming so loudly, while at other times I’ve had to ask if someone is still there because there is complete silence on the other end of the phone.”

What is the process of confirming the win for our winners?

“When we call our winners, there are few steps we need to go through to make sure we are speaking to the right person and can verify they are the correct ticket holder. After introducing myself and where I am calling from, I ask them to provide a few details that only the rightful ticket holder would know.

After that, I’m able to break the life-changing news and confirm just how much they have won. That’s when we get to hear those amazing reactions from our winners and how they have always dreamed of winning the lottery.

We often get to hear about why they chose that ticket, how they selected those winning numbers, and what they’ve always dreamt they will do with a lottery win. We hear if they are going to share it with friends and family, and their dreams travel destinations. It’s such a privilege to be part of that moment in people’s lives.

After that, we then discuss the prize claim process to make sure they have all the information required to complete the needed forms and processes so they can get that life-changing windfall. We’re in the business of paying prizes so we are equally as excited to know that our customer's bank accounts are about to balloon by an amazing amount.”

When an entry is registered, we have their contact details so we can unite the winner easily with their prize. Can you step us through what happens with unregistered entries and how we deliver the prizes in that instance?

“Unfortunately, we can only break the news to registered players. If your ticket is unregistered we have to wait for you to contact us before we can confirm that news. 

To notify everyone that there is an unregistered entry out there yet to be claimed, we contact the local media, put it on our social media pages, and also contact the selling outlet. 

When we do speak to these unregistered winners, they often tell us they were completely oblivious to the news that they had a big winning ticket in their back pocket, in their wallet, on their fridge, or even in the car glovebox.

This is why we encourage all of our players to register their entries, which means their prize is secure and we can contact them with the news. We also recommend to our players to keep a hold of that ticket and keep it safe because you do need it to claim your prize.”

I’m sure everyone is keen to hear what people tell you they plan to do with those massive prizes.

“After the shock of the news has sunk in a bit, our winners often share with us that the first thing they want to do is share it with their loved ones. This includes giving it to their family through monetary gifts, buying their kids a new home, or even buying their best mate a brand new car. Our winners always share that they loved to help their nearest and dearest first.

Many winners tell us that they are going to go off on holidays and realise that long-held dream of exploring the globe. From European cruises and first-class carriages on the Ghan, all the way to luxury campervans travelling around Australia, I think our major prize winners have conquered all corners of the globe in all types of transport.”

What is the weirdest thing a winner has told you they are going to do with their win?

“What might surprise some people is that it is actually the simple things in life that many of our winners share they want to buy with their windfall. From a new washing machine and a new pair of shoes, to getting your hair done at a salon or even an iPhone – these  things don’t cost the earth but have always been a little bit out of reach for these winners. That’s why they are the first things they think of when we share that incredible news. 

One of my favourite winners told me she wanted to buy a brand new mattress because she wanted to feel like she was sleeping on a cloud.”

Now you know what happens at the other end of the phone during these life-changing moments, you can start dreaming of what you would say and how you would react if we called you with the news! 

To find more behind-the-scenes information about lottery draws check out the On The Ball series here.