Group of workmates celebrate $30 million Powerball win with ticket from Malaga Newsagency

A group of 15 workmates have become overnight millionaires after one member of the syndicate forgot to buy their Saturday Lotto ticket and purchased a Powerball ticket on a whim.

The group has celebrated the $30 million prize, pocketing $2 million each, after their ticket bought from Malaga Newsagency last week became the State’s first Powerball win of the year.

The ticketholder, who started the group of men and women aged in their 30s to 60s seven years ago, forgot to buy their usual Saturday Lotto ticket and purchased a ticket for Powerball instead.

“We all put money into a kitty and I buy a Saturday Lotto ticket every week, plus one for any jackpots of $50 million or more,” he said.

“I couldn’t believe it when I realised I forgot to buy our ticket for Saturday Lotto. I was thinking of the grief I was going to get on Monday at work.

“I saw that Powerball was at $30 million and bought a ticket for that instead on a whim.”

The lucky ticketholder said he was planning on retiring early to enjoy travelling around Australia in a caravan with his wife.

One winner of the group joked that as soon as she heard the news she bought a pineapple, saying the sweet summer fruit was the ultimate treat for her.

Other winners plan to retire early, help their children, visit family overseas and book the luxury holidays of their dreams.

“We should never have had a ticket for this draw. I’ve never expected to win but play happily knowing that some of the money goes to helping the community,” the ticketholder said.

The life-changing win is WA’s biggest division one prize since April last year.

In 2022, a syndicate of 20 Kalgoorlie miners won a $53 million jackpot that saw them each take home about $2.6 million.

In 2021, Christmas came early for 55 ladies of Curves gym in Beldon when their syndicate scooped the $80 million Powerball jackpot.

Lotterywest spokesperson Zoe Wender said the three-week Powerball jackpot run raised $5.9 million for Lotterywest’s grants program, which supports community groups throughout WA.

“It was incredible welcoming this group of 15 winners into the Lotterywest Winners Room and seeing how ecstatic they were,” she said.

“This is a life-changing win for this group of workmates, and how fantastic that they are sharing the joy of winning together.”

The next chance for WA players to win is Thursday’s $10 million Powerball draw.

Tickets are available until 6pm in-store, online or via the Lotterywest App.