“I saw there was an email to contact NSW Lotteries but I didn’t think I could be that lucky.” — Lucky lottery winner

Sydney’s mystery $40 million Powerball lottery winner has finally come forward to claim her prize.

Most people would send an email marked “lottery winner” straight to the spam folder, and in most cases they would be right.

But one Sydney woman’s scepticism could have cost her a fortune this morning.

NSW Lotteries were forced to try and contact the Penrith woman via email, after she bought a ticket in the $80 million Powerball draw but failed to leave a phone number.

The woman said she only saw the email after hearing radio reports about the unconfirmed winner but remained cautious until she checked her numbers.

“I saw there was an email to contact NSW Lotteries but I didn’t think I could be that lucky,” she said.

“I went on the internet to check my numbers and found out that I had won $40 million.”

Her husband urged to check her inbox after hearing a radio bulletin about an unconfirmed western Sydney winner.

“I said to my husband, ‘We’re not in Western Sydney,’ but he said: ‘Yes we are.’

“Then I said: ‘There is no way we would have won $40 million,’ and he said ‘Why not? Our ticket has got just as much chance as anyone else’s.’”

Shamreet Maharaj, whose Supanews newsagency in Penrith sold the winning ticket, said people had been flooding into his store all day to check their tickets.

“It’s excellent, I heard it was sold in Western Sydney and the thought did cross my mind that perhaps we sold the winning ticket, but I dismissed it,” Mr Maharaj said.

“Obviously it is such a thrill to have sold the biggest win ever in NSW, I just can’t believe it.”

The Penrith couple will share the $80 million first division prize with another winner from Melbourne.

There were also 28 division two winners, who will take home $70,606.60 each, and 149 division three winners at $5948.70 each.

- By Richard Maxton | LiveNews

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