Melbourne aged-care workers share in $1.9 million Lotto windfall

SUNDAY night normally carries a sense of dread for many people preparing for another working week, but not for one lucky woman in Melbourne’s east who couldn’t wait to tell her colleagues they had just won a share in $1.9 million.

The big win belonged to a group of workers at Park Lane Residential Aged Care, in Croydon North, and was a result of taking out the division one prize in Saturday’s Tattslotto draw.

More than 50 colleagues formed the winning syndicate, about half of the staff at the centre, who invested $2 each and received a tidy profit in return – with over $37,000 heading towards each person.

Amazingly, it was over 24 hours before the syndicate manager realised the group had won.

“Well it was about 11.30pm last night (Sunday) when I scanned all the ticket barcodes on the lotto app and I came across the division one winning ticket and I’m going ‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!’ and I said to my husband ‘Quick have a look at this!’” she told the Herald Sun.

“The winning ticket belongs to a syndicate I run for my workplace in the big draws and there are 51 people in it. So I didn’t sleep at all thinking about breaking the news to everyone.

Another worker said it was hard for everyone to contain their elation at work the next day.

“There’s been a range of shock and amazement and a lot of jumping up and down, it’s very exciting,” the employee said.

The winning entry, a 36-game Quick Pick, was bought from Tobacco Station in Kilsyth, with the store’s owner Cheng En thrilled to have sold the division one ticket.

“I’m so happy to hear that the prize will be shared by so many people — it’s even better than I first thought,” he said.

“I’ll need a tractor load of champagne for all those winners.”

Rumour has it the staff Christmas Party this year is going to be a big one.