A significant windfall has graced Australia just as 2025 begins, with two lottery winners experiencing life-altering jackpots. The most notable of these winners resides in Craigieburn, taking home over $20 million from the latest Powerball draw, and another lucky individual from Davoren Park earning nearly $5 million from the Set for Life lottery.
The Powerball draw, identified as draw number 1494, occurred on January 2, 2025, and the winning entry was the sole division one ticket purchased at The Lucky Charm Craigieburn, located at Shop C16, Craigieburn Central, Craigieburn. The total prize reached exactly $20,809,257.29, marking the highest win ever recorded at this outlet. Nicole Knothe, the store owner, expressed her excitement and optimism for the recipient of the massive prize. “This is such an exciting and life-altering win for one of our lucky customers,” she stated. Knothe added, “We would love to send all our happy thoughts to our lucky winner! We hope the win brings them joy, comfort, and the ability to change many lives for thebetter.”
The winning numbers for this draw were 21, 27, 9, 22, 15, 18, and 8, with the Powerball being 19. The Lott spokesperson, Matt Hart, called on the winner to come forward, noting, “Our elusive winner is likely oblivious to the fact they became a multi-millionaire last night.” Hart encouraged anyone who purchased tickets from The Lucky Charm Craigieburn to check their numbers. “Just think how exhilarating it would be to discover you won such an astonishing prize at the start of the year!” he exclaimed.
Meanwhile, the Davoren Park winner has embraced his own lucrative luck, securing nearly $5 million as the sole victor of the Set for Life draw number 3437. This win translates to $20,000 monthly payouts for the next 20 years. The South Australian father shared how this unexpected fortune will help his family. “I’ve got a young family, and this will help us build a house,” he enthused, recalling his long-held dream of constructing a family home. “It just means the world to my family and will really set us up for the future.”
After purchasing his ticket through the Lott app, the father described his disbelief upon discovering he had the winning numbers — 1, 14, 32, 43, 16, 36, and 34, along with 2 and 12 as supplementary numbers. He recounted the moment he checked the numbers with his wife, saying, “All night we were literally going, ‘no we didn’t, no we didn’t’. It’s unbelievable!”
This victory marks the 148th Set for Life division one win across Australia. Notably, the past financial year has already seen 12 individuals sharing nearly $57.6 million through the program's monthly payout structure. Encouragingly, another winner from the Powerball draw remains at large, likely unaware of their financial windfall.
Both stories exemplify the joy and excitement of winning big and highlight how lottery games can change lives. From crafting new family dreams to unlocking potential futures, the potential impacts of these winnings resonate deeply with the winners. With the excitement surrounding these recent draws, ticket holders across Australia are prompted to check their tickets and dream of what life-changing news may be waiting for them.