ITHUBA, operators of the national lottery in South Africa, have announced that the winner of the over R13 million Lotto Plus 1 jackpot has come forward to claim her winnings.
The winning ticket, purchased in-store in Grassy Park in the Western Cape, was bought for R40 using the manual selection method.
This life-changing win came in Draw 2535, which took place on Wednesday, 23 April 2025.
The Lotto Plus 1 numbers drawn were (in numerical order) 3, 12, 21, 30, 39, 45 while the bonus ball was 31.
The exact winning amount was R13 314 022.
Watched the draw on TV
The winner, a pensioner, recounted the moment she discovered her win while watching the Lotto draw on television.
“I watched each of the winning numbers appear, and I could hardly believe what I was seeing,” she shared.
“I was holding a ticket that matched every number – a ticket worth over R13 million!
“I’ve never won anything close to this in my life; it still feels unreal”.
The winner had diligently written her details on the back of her ticket and stored it safely, holding onto the hope that this might be her lucky draw.
Upon confirming her win, she couldn’t wait to share the news with her son and immediately gave him a call.
As a passionate gardener, the winner expressed her delight, saying, “Now I’ll have more time to focus on the things I truly enjoy during my retirement years.”
With her newfound fortune, she plans to invest a large portion of the winnings to ensure her comfort during her retirement.
She also shared that she plans on spreading the joy by donating some of her winnings to charity.
Charmaine Mabuza, CEO of ITHUBA, extended warm congratulations to the winner, stating, “We’re thrilled that our winner gets to enjoy her golden years with much more comfort. This win is a testament to the fact that it’s never too late for a life-changing moment. We wish her all the best as she embarks on this new chapter.”
Remember
All winners have 365 days from the draw date to claim their prize, and all National Lottery winnings
are tax-free.
ITHUBA is dedicated to responsible gaming and responsible winning and offers trauma counseling and financial advice for winners of R50 000 and above.
ITHUBA encourages all participants to keep their tickets safe and, for those playing with physical tickets,
to write their name and ID number on the back for security purposes.
Players must be 18 years or older to play. Play responsibly.
What’s the first thing you’d do if you became a millionaire overnight?
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