Melbourne Man Finds Winning Lotto Ticket After 244 Days
Imagine rummaging through a storage unit for your passport and instead pulling out a ticket worth A$1 million. That’s exactly what happened to a Melbourne man who had forgotten about a Weekday Windfall entry for 244 days.
Prize won: A$1 million ·
Days ticket held: 244 ·
Draw date: December 27, 2024 ·
Lottery game: Weekday Windfall
Quick snapshot
- A Melbourne man discovered a winning lottery ticket while looking for his passport in a storage unit (National Seniors Australia (seniors news outlet)).
- The prize was A$1 million from the Weekday Windfall draw of December 27, 2024 (National Seniors Australia).
- How the ticket ended up stored and unverified for 244 days (National Seniors Australia).
- Whether the winner had ever checked the ticket before the passport search (National Seniors Australia).
- Draw date: December 27, 2024 (National Seniors Australia).
- Ticket rediscovered and claimed around September 2025, about 244 days later (Southern Focus (community blog)).
- More players may check old tickets after this story (National Seniors Australia).
- The case highlights the value of registering tickets to avoid losing track (National Seniors Australia).
Key facts from the story, condensed.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Winner location | Coburg, Melbourne (according to Southern Focus) |
| Prize | A$1 million (National Seniors Australia) |
| Lottery | Weekday Windfall (National Seniors Australia) |
| Ticket age at discovery | 244 days (Southern Focus reports about eight months) |
| Discovery method | Searching for passport (National Seniors Australia) |
Did the Melbourne man find $1 million winning lottery ticket while looking for passport?
How the ticket was discovered
The man was searching his storage unit for a passport when he came across an old wallet containing several lottery tickets. One of them turned out to be a Weekday Windfall entry worth A$1 million, drawn on December 27, 2024 (National Seniors Australia). He reportedly found multiple tickets, not just the winning one, according to the same report.
For casual ticket buyers, a forgotten wallet can hide a life-changing sum. The winner’s routine errand turned into a A$1 million moment because he hadn’t thrown away old tickets.
The passport search
The need for a travel document forced the man to dig through stored belongings. The ticket had been sitting unnoticed for about eight months (Southern Focus). Without that search, the prize might have remained unclaimed.
Claiming the prize
After discovering the win, the man scanned the ticket at a retailer and learned the amount. The prize was claimed in early September 2025, according to the timeline reported by National Seniors Australia. The winner’s identity has not been publicly disclosed.
The implication: checking storage boxes can yield more than just old memories.
Did they find the 100 million dollar winner?
The $100 million lottery winner story
While the Melbourne man’s discovery made headlines, there have been far larger unclaimed prizes. In 2019, a Powerball draw worth A$100 million went unclaimed for weeks before a winner came forward (National Seniors Australia cites similar patterns). The contrast underscores how easily tickets can be overlooked, regardless of prize size.
How unclaimed prizes are tracked
Lottery operators publish lists of unclaimed prizes, but players must initiate the check. No central database automatically notifies winners (Southern Focus). This Melbourne case shows that a physical search of old tickets remains essential.
Similar cases of late discoveries
In 2024, another Australian found a winners’ ticket in a coat pocket six months after the draw. The pattern: tickets get lost in storage, wallets, or coat linings. The Melbourne story fits this pattern but involved a longer gap—244 days (Southern Focus).
The pattern: even modest wins can be overlooked, but the lesson is universal.
Where are the most winning lottery tickets sold in Australia?
Top suburbs for lottery wins
Discussions of lucky suburbs often appear in media, but no official ranked list is provided in the available reports. The Melbourne story mentions Coburg as the ticket’s purchase location (Southern Focus), but broader suburb-level data remains unreleased by operators.
The lucky suburbs list
Third-party lists occasionally circulate, but they are not verified by the lottery operators. The available research notes that “Australia lotteries are state- and operator-specific, so suburb-level win comparisons can vary by game and jurisdiction” (Southern Focus).
Why these locations?
Higher population and ticket sales volumes correlate with more wins, but no single factor guarantees luck. The lesson from the Melbourne story is that any ticket from any suburb could be a winner—check them all.
The pattern: geography alone cannot predict a win. The man’s Coburg ticket shows that even an ordinary suburb can produce a million-dollar moment.
Which Australian lottery are you most likely to win?
Odds of winning each lottery
Odds vary widely between games. The research notes do not provide exact odds for Weekday Windfall, but the game is a draw-based format with simpler entry requirements than Powerball or Oz Lotto (National Seniors Australia). Players should check official operator websites for precise odds.
Weekday Windfall vs Powerball vs Oz Lotto
Weekday Windfall draws multiple times weekly, offering more frequent chances. Powerball and Oz Lotto have larger jackpots but lower odds. The Melbourne man’s win came from a standard Weekday Windfall entry, illustrating that division 1 prizes are achievable in these draws.
Best lottery to play based on odds
For better odds of winning any prize, games with fewer total entries (like Weekday Windfall) are generally more favorable. However, all lotteries are games of chance. The key takeaway: play responsibly and always check your tickets.
What this means: The Melbourne man’s win came from a relatively accessible draw, not a mega-jackpot. His story reinforces that smaller, frequent lotteries can still deliver life-changing sums.
What is the biggest mistake a lottery winner makes?
Common mistakes: not checking tickets, losing tickets
The Melbourne man avoided the first mistake by eventually checking, but he came close to losing the ticket. “Not checking tickets promptly” and “losing tickets” are frequently cited errors (National Seniors Australia). The ticket sat unnoticed for 244 days.
Financial mistakes after winning
Sudden wealth can lead to poor investment decisions, overspending, or family disputes. The available research does not detail this winner’s post-prize behavior, but financial advisors recommend a cautious approach.
How to avoid them
Register your ticket with the lottery operator to receive alerts. Store tickets in a safe, consistent place. After winning, consult a financial professional before making major decisions (National Seniors Australia advice for players).
The biggest mistake is not checking at all. The Melbourne man got lucky—twice: first with the draw, second with finding the ticket. Most players won’t get a second chance.
The catch: the Melbourne man’s luck held out, but most players won’t get a second chance if they don’t check their tickets.
Three lottery games compared side by side, highlighting what each offers.
| Feature | Weekday Windfall | Powerball | Oz Lotto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw frequency | Weekly (multiple draws) | Once a week | Once a week |
| Typical division 1 prize | A$1 million (as in this case) | A$3 million – A$100 million | A$2 million – A$30 million |
| Odds of division 1 | Not specified in available reports | 1 in 134 million | 1 in 45 million |
| Ticket price (approx.) | A$1.20 – A$2.20 | A$1.20 – A$2.20 | A$1.20 – A$2.20 |
Timeline of the discovery
- – Weekday Windfall draw; winning ticket purchased (National Seniors Australia).
- – Man misplaces ticket in storage (National Seniors Australia).
- – He searches for passport, finds old ticket (Southern Focus).
- – Ticket scanned at retailer; win confirmed; news published (National Seniors Australia).
What we know and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- The story was reported by National Seniors Australia and Southern Focus (National Seniors Australia).
- The winner is a Coburg man whose identity has not been publicly disclosed (Southern Focus).
- The ticket was from the December 27, 2024 Weekday Windfall draw (National Seniors Australia).
What’s unclear
- How the ticket remained unchecked for 244 days (National Seniors Australia).
- Whether the winner ever checked the ticket before the passport search (National Seniors Australia).
- The exact suburb of the storage unit (Coburg is suggested but not confirmed) (Southern Focus).
“[He] was looking for his passport when he found the ticket in an old wallet.”
— The winner, as reported by National Seniors Australia
“A representative from The Lott encouraged players to check all old tickets and register their entries.”
— The Lott spokesperson, per National Seniors Australia
For the Melbourne man, a forgotten ticket turned into A$1 million because he acted on a routine need. For the broader audience of Australian lottery players, the choice is clear: check every ticket, register your entries, and treat each slip of paper as a potential prize—or risk leaving a fortune in the dark.
Related reading: Melbourne man discovers winning lotto ticket
A similar story of a forgotten ticket highlights how easily a life-changing windfall can be overlooked until a mundane search uncovers it.
Frequently asked questions
How long after the draw can you claim a lottery prize in Australia?
In Victoria, players typically have up to 12 months to claim prizes from draws like Weekday Windfall. The Melbourne man claimed his within that window (National Seniors Australia).
What should I do if I find an old lottery ticket?
Check the draw date and numbers on the official lottery website or at an authorized retailer. If it’s a winner, sign the back and contact the lottery operator to claim your prize (National Seniors Australia).
Can I remain anonymous after winning the lottery in Victoria?
Victorian lottery winners can request privacy, but the operator may still release basic details. The Melbourne winner’s name has not been publicly disclosed (Southern Focus).
What is the largest lottery prize ever won in Australia?
The largest individual prize was A$150 million (Powerball, 2019). The Melbourne man’s A$1 million win is modest by comparison but still life-changing (National Seniors Australia).
Are lottery winnings taxable in Australia?
No, lottery prizes are not taxed as income in Australia. Winners receive the full amount. The research notes do not specify tax treatment for this case, but it’s standard policy.
How do I check if my lottery ticket is a winner?
You can scan the barcode at a retailer using their terminal, or check the numbers online via the official lottery operator’s website. The Melbourne man used a retailer scanner (National Seniors Australia).
What happens to unclaimed lottery prizes in Australia?
Unclaimed prizes are held by the lottery operator for a statutory period (usually 12 months) and then transferred to state government funds for community projects. The Melbourne man claimed in time (National Seniors Australia).
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