‘Bloody oath’: Wagga man wakes up $1.6m richer after New Year Lotto win

A WAGGA man has vowed to pay off his mortgage and treat his family to some of the finer things in life after waking to the news he had become a newly minted millionaire over the weekend.

The Riverina resident was left speechless after learning he was one of 18 division one winners nationally in Saturday Lotto draw 4639, drawn on Saturday, January 3, 2026, with each winning ticket worth $1,666,666.67.

Unaware of his extraordinary luck, the man was enjoying a low-key Sunday morning when officials from The Lott made the phone call that would change everything.

“Beautiful!” he exclaimed when told of the win.

“Thank you very much. Sensational!

“Bloody oath. I don’t know what to say. I had no idea. I’ve just been having a quiet morning.”

The newly minted millionaire said he only plays occasionally, usually when jackpots grow larger.

“I only play every now and then. When there’s a big one, I’ll give it a go,” he said.

The impact of the win was immediate, with family gathering around to celebrate the unexpected news.

“The family is celebrating around me,” he said. “This will do a fair bit. I’ll be able to clean up a few debts, pay off the mortgage, and enjoy some of the finer things in life.”

The winning 25-game QuickPick entry was purchased via The Lott app, the official home of Australia’s lotteries.

For one Riverina local, a routine weekend has now become the beginning of a very different chapter — all thanks to a ticket he didn’t even realise was a winner.