As Australia eagerly anticipates the Powerball's $200 million draw on Thursday night, the nation is abuzz with the possibility of life-changing moments. This record jackpot, the largest in Australian lottery history, has captured the imagination of countless individuals dreaming of the instant their lives could transform with a single phone call from lotto officials.
This draw, unprecedented in its magnitude, follows six consecutive draws without a division one winner. With up to half of Australian adults expected to participate, the draw is set to be a historic event.
Ahead of Thursday night’s heart-stopping Powerball draw, The Lott has showcased some of the awe-inspiring moments when previous division one winners discovered their wins.
The $200 million prize is the biggest jackpot offered by any Australian lottery game in history. It comes after no player held all seven winning numbers and the all-important Powerball number needed to win the division one prize in the past six consecutive draws.
Up to half of Australian adults are expected to have an entry into the draw, vying for the chance to become a newly minted multi-millionaire.
The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said a tapestry of emotions often unfold when delivering the news of a division one windfall.
“Behind every winning lottery call, there’s a person on the other end of the line with a story to tell. It’s a privilege to be part of these life-changing moments that can redefine someone’s life,” she said.
“From the heart-pounding moment of anticipation to the overwhelming joy that erupts when the division one news truly sinks in, it’s an emotional journey like no other.
“Securing a significant lottery win frequently evokes genuine tears of joy, astonished gasps, or even momentary stunned silence.
“Winning a slice of the record-breaking $200 million Powerball prize would be a phone call to remember for eternity and would undoubtedly change your life for many decades to come.
“In 2019, we revealed a $107 million Powerball win to a Sydney mum minutes after the draw – a phone call that she will never forget.
“As we broke the life-changing news to the New South Wales woman and crowned her the biggest individual lottery winner in history, there was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, which was later followed by an outpour of emotion.”
The Sydney nurse, in her 40s, continues to wake up and go to work, devoting her life to helping others in need.
Lottery officials caught up with the pink-collar worker a year after her win to see how winning a slice of the multi-million-dollar win changed her life.
“I got up the next morning and took the kids to school and had jobs to do and commitments I had to follow through with,” she told The Lott in July 2020.
“People needed me to be the person I always was.
“I suppose you get to a certain age, and you’re already the person you are, and you’re set in a certain way. When you’ve had these certain habits your whole life, you don’t just change them overnight, or at least I chose not to.”
For the chance to experience a division one winning phone call like the Sydney nurse, Ms Hobdell said she recommended players register their entry to a player card or online account.
“The team at The Lott headquarters and I will be on the edge of our seats, ready to reach out to any registered division one winners on Thursday night. But we can only call if the player has registered their ticket and kept their contact details up to date,” she said.
“If you see your phone light up on Thursday night, be sure to pick up immediately because it could be The Lott calling with some life-altering division one news!”
The peak of sales for last week’s $150 million Powerball draw was at 6:15pm on the day of the draw when 7,445 tickets were sold in a single minute.
Tickets into the $200 million Powerball draw 1446 can be purchased at any licensed lottery outlet, online from thelott.com or via The Lott mobile app before the draw’s close at 7.30pm AEST on Thursday 1 February 2024.
In 2023, 20 Powerball division one winning entries across Australia pocketed more than $552.15 million in prize money.
During this time, a Bankstown dad scored a $100 million jackpot and became the second-biggest Australian lottery winner of all time.
Of the 20 Powerball division one winning entries in 2023, eight landed in New South Wales, seven in Victoria, two each in South Australia and Western Australia, and one in Queensland.
Note: Amidst the excitement and promotions, potential players should play responsibly and recognize their slim chances of claiming a slice of this massive jackpot. Winning the division one prize in Powerball, which requires matching all seven winning numbers plus the Powerball number in a single game panel, is no small feat.
The odds of securing the division one prize with a standard game are 1 in 134,490,400 – an almost unfathomable level of improbability.
Comparing these odds to everyday events is challenging because such odds are far beyond any daily experiences during lifetime. You can think of it as it's like finding a specific grain of sand on a large beach. Or the rough lifetime odds of you being injured by lightning strikes are approximately 1 in 3,200 in Australia , and given 1 in 10 victims die according to the ABS data, then the lifetime odds of being killed by lightning in Australia are about 1 in 32,000.
As such, while the dream of winning big is a thrilling prospect, it's important for players to approach the draw with realistic expectations and an understanding of the incredibly long odds they face.
